Does Jeff Teague Make Sense for Milwaukee … Again?

Jeff Teague was almost a member of the Milwaukee Bucks three years ago. With the Atlanta Hawks looking to trade the guard, could he now end up in Milwaukee?

It was July 10, 2013, and the Milwaukee Bucks looked to have their future backcourt set. Earlier that offseason the Bucks had made a lot of noise signing OJ Mayo to a three-year, 24 million dollar contract. The team also had added former Hawks coach Larry Drew along with his center, Zaza Pachulia.

But on July 10th the Bucks took the next step when they signed Jeff Teague to a four-year offer sheet worth $32 million. It was a chance for the point guard to reunite with his former coach, a move that he was very excited about. Teague spoke to the media in Milwaukee and expressed his excitement on joining the Bucks,

"“I’m definitely excited at the opportunity to come back to work with Larry Drew,” Teague said. “The Bucks have a good team, a young nucleus and guys that are ready to take the next step. I can help.”"

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Teague’d agent also commented on the point guard signing with Milwaukee and their relationship with Atlanta.

"“The big key is going to an organization he can develop a relationship with,” Hensley said. “And we don’t think he felt that in Atlanta.”"

Unfortunately for Milwaukee, the Hawks matched their offer sheet and retained Teague. The following season Jeff Teague was selected for his first and only All Star appearance, all seemed to be well in Atlanta.

Meanwhile Milwaukee was forced to move on. They did so by acquiring Brandon Knight and Khris Middleton from the Detroit Pistons in a sign-and-trade for Brandon Jennings that same offseason. One can say that the Bucks not signing Teague was a great move for them because it allowed them to obtain Middleton, who is taking the league by storm this season.

However, with the way the game is being played today in the NBA, point guards, and their ability to shoot, has never been more crucial to success. And with Michael Carter-Williams as the point guard of the Milwaukee Bucks, they have struggled mightily.

The Hawks and Teague have never seemed to be on the same page ever since the organization selected Dennis Schroder in the 2013 NBA Draft. As noted in the earlier quote by his agent, Teague never really felt he and the Hawks had a strong relationship.

Meanwhile it has appeared Atlanta has embraced Teague’s backup, Schroder, since he was drafted. Schroder has been a very solid backup for Teague in his first two seasons in the NBA. However, it came to light this offseason that Schroder wanted to start in Atlanta or else he would leave.  This threat apparently had an impact on Atlanta’s front office and coaching staff.

Schroder has seen an increased role in the offense, meanwhile Teague is averaging only 28.4 minutes per game. That total is the lowest in Teague’s career since earning the starting point guard spot in 2012.

Now with reports surfacing on Wednesday that the Hawks are looking to trade Teague, could Milwaukee get a second chance at the point guard they wanted all along?

The Bucks roster is filled with young players, such as Jabari Parker and Giannis Antentokounmpo, who thrive on cutting and finishing around the rim. A point guard such as Teague could help space the floor and open up driving lanes for those players.

Teague could also help the Bucks newest member, Greg Monroe, improve his offensive output.

Right now it is almost impossible for the Bucks to run a successful pick and roll with Monroe. When Carter-Williams engages in a P&R situation with Monroe, teams are able to sag off MCW and clog Monroe’s path to the rim. They are able to do so because MCW has not proven to be able, nor even attempt to, hit a jump shot off a pick and roll.

Teague, on the other hand, is shooting a stellar 38 percent from three this season. He has proven to be a more than capable outside shooter throughout his career and would force teams to respect his shooting ability in those pick and roll situations, opening up the lane for Monroe.

The addition of Teague may look like a no-brainer for the shooting-deprived Bucks. But looking into the situation closer, it may be a bit drastic for Milwaukee to bring in Teague.

First off, Teague will be a unrestricted free agent after the 2016-17 season. In a league that demands so much from the point guard position, Teague would likely garner a hefty price tag. The Bucks already have two players in Giannis and Parker who they need to reward with big contracts in upcoming offseasons.

Therefore, it most likely will not be in the cards for Milwaukee to sign Teague after his contract is up.

Also, despite the struggled shooting of Carter-Williams, it may be far to early for Milwaukee to give up on him and their current starting five. The group of MCW-Middleton-Giannis-Parker and Monroe has yet to play a full season together and still need time to find their groove.

The addition of Teague will not come without a hefty return for the Hawks, one would assume. The Bucks have veterans that the Hawks may be interested in obtaining, along with draft picks that could yield a high selection this year. But Milwaukee is still at a point that they should hold onto any lottery pick they may have, as they are still far from a complete team.

Still, the new availability of a high caliber point guard such as Teague may be too much for the Bucks to pass up. Other teams, such as the Knicks, have expressed interest in trading for Teague. Therefore Milwaukee will have put together a strong offer to impress the Hawks.

However, if the Hawks listen to the requests of Teague, his past interest from the Milwaukee Bucks may have an impact on where he ends up. Not to mention, what point guard wouldn’t want to play under the tutelage of Jason Kidd.

The trade deadline is still three weeks away from us and in the meantime Milwaukee needs to make a push for the playoffs before the season escapes them.

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The question is, will the Bucks be making that push with a new point guard?