Every Milwaukee Bucks fan knows the team will have to do something, anything, to replace Damian Lillard’s minutes, if obviously not his full production, this offseason. Complicating matters, Kevin Porter Jr. will reportedly not exercise his player option, leaving the roster without a point guard (Ryan Rollins is also a free agent).
In a State of the Union on the NBA offseason thus far, ESPN insider Brian Windhorst dropped a few names the Bucks should consider. All of them, he says, could be signed using part of Milwaukee’s $14.1 million midlevel nontaxpayer exception.
Milwaukee Bucks Could Benefit from Bringing in Any of These 3 Point Guards in Free Agency
1. Dennis Schroder, 2024-25 teams: Nets, Warriors, Pistons; 2024-25 salary: $13 million; stats: 13.1 PPG, 5.4 APG, 40.6 FG%
Schroder has become something of a meme for bouncing around half the league in recent years. Nonetheless, he remains a scrappy sparkplug who could fill something of a Patrick Beverly role – feisty, galvanizing – while supplying actual production. Certainly his efficiency took a hit last season; the Bucks would prefer he get back to making shots at his 43.2% career clip. He should be available at a relatively cheap price compared to his previous two-year, $25.4 million contract.
2. Tyus Jones, Suns; $3 million; 10.2 PPG, 5.3 APG, 41.4 3P%
Jones is probably the most economic option of the three, coming off a one-year deal in which he failed to impress despite superficially solid numbers. Much of the disappointment in his 2024-25 campaign derives from his defensive shortcomings. A small guard, Jones is not naturally a strong defender, but his effort waned at times in Phoenix. If he can bring a focused attitude and his surefire marksmanship to Milwaukee, he could be worth another short-term “prove it” style contract.
3. Malcolm Brogdon, Wizards; $22.5 million; 12.7 PPG, 4.1 APG, 3.8 RPG
What free agent point guard list would be complete without the ninth-year former Buck? Brogdon won 2017 Rookie of the Year back in Milwaukee and enjoyed several elite seasons with the Pacers, then took home some more hardware in Boston – the 2023 Sixth Man of the Year Award.
The past two seasons, though, he has played just 63 games for a pair of bad teams, the Trail Blazers and the Wizards. In an injury-tainted season, his production suffered dramatically in Washington as he registered career-lows in FG and 3P% (43.3, 28.6). Healthy, in a more competitive environment, the 32-year-old might be able to recover his prior form.
Of Windhorst’s three names, Brogdon definitely brings the most volume scoring upside (career 15.3 PPG), something Milwaukee needs badly in the backcourt without Lillard. He should also command a far cheaper price tag this summer, as he signed his last contract on the heels of his Sixth Man season as a Celtic.
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