Milwaukee Bucks: 2016 Offseason Grades
Overall
The Bucks have a promising young core, but like the Minnesota Timberwolves in the West, they could be a dark horse to make the Eastern Conference playoffs in 2016-17.
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By addressing specific needs (three-point shooting, backcourt depth, veteran experience) with specific free agency targets (Mirza Teletovic and Matthew Dellavedova), the Bucks managed to complement their young core while also adding another tantalizing youngster through the draft in Maker.
However, points have to be taken off for that brief moment of insanity where a four-year, $52 million offer for Plumlee seemed like an acceptable thought. Being unable to trade Greg Monroe also hurts, creating an awkward situation for the Monroe-Maker-Plumlee-Henson quartet.
Unless Jason Kidd plans to put Monroe back in a sixth man role, where he and the Bucks had some success last year, it feels like this team’s future is waiting on an inevitable trade. Milwaukee was unable to facilitate one this summer, meaning their once mighty defense will still need some work in 2016-17.
More hoops habit: Indiana Pacers: 2016 Offseason Grades
However, even though the Bucks didn’t really bring in any game-changers on the defensive end, Maker could become one in the future and Milwaukee still managed to inch closer to a return to the postseason. It wasn’t a standout summer, but the Bucks are still on the right path.
Grade: B-