Damian Lillard’s Achilles tear in Game 3 of the Milwaukee Bucks‘ first round series against the Pacers presents a significant concern for next season. As Lillard recovers from surgery, he may miss most or all of 2025-26. In the meantime, the Bucks will need to find themselves a starting point guard. One potential free agent signee, perhaps the best fit for the team’s needs, would reunite the franchise with a former Sixth Man of the Year who began his career in Milwaukee.
Milwaukee Bucks Should Consider Signing Former Giannis Teammate This Summer
Drafted 36th overall by the Bucks in 2016, Malcolm Brogdon secured Rookie of the Year honors in his pro debut. The surefire sniper spent three seasons as a Buck, shooting at least 38.5% from distance each year. His final campaign in Milwaukee, he boosted his scoring to 15.6 points per game while shooting 42.6% on threes and a career-best 50.5% from the field. Before the following season, the Bucks traded him to the Pacers for a package of picks.
It was in Indiana that Brogdon put up his most impressive volume stats, climbing to 21.2 PPG in 2021 while averaging five-plus assists every season. His only year in Boston, in 2022-23, he won Sixth Man of the Year by scoring 14.9 points in an average of 26 minutes per game. After a dip in efficiency as a Pacer, he returned to his sharpshooting ways, posting a deadly hit rate of 44.4% beyond the arc.
The last two seasons, however, Brogdon has battled through injury, a bugaboo that has kept him from reaching the 75-game mark he established as a rookie. In Portland and, this season, in Washington, a portion of his missed time has likely been due to tanking purposes, as both teams avoided playing their most productive lineups in order to pile up losses for draft position.
Malcolm Brogdon Is One of the Better Options in This Pool of NBA Free Agents
One concerning element of Brogdon’s 2024-25 season as a Wizard is his abysmal 3-point percentage, which fell to 28.6% on 2.3 attempts per game, both career-lows. Hopefully that is due to injury, variance (only 56 attempts) and, perhaps, the lack of motivation that can seep into player performance on bad teams. Just a year ago, he was still shooting 41.2% in Portland, averaging 15.7 points and 5.5 assists. This season his scoring dipped to 12.7, his lowest since year one in Milwaukee.
If he can stay healthy, though, he could certainly help the Bucks. The roster desperately needs a player who can score at higher volume, and Brogdon can be reasonably expected to contribute around 15 PPG – or better – in the right environment. He is also a solid facilitator (4.7 career APG) and, if he can recover his stroke, an excellent shooter. Experienced in both roles, he would could either start or lead the second unit if the Bucks so desired.
From a talent perspective, however, given the affordable free agent options and Milwaukee’s lack of internal candidates, he would probably be the roster’s best available floor general. Even if Kevin Porter Jr. exercises his $2.5 million player option, or if he does not and the Bucks re-sign him, Porter is more suitable to a bench role. If the Bucks want to do better than Brogdon, they will have to explore the trade market.
The main hurdle to acquiring Brogdon is salary considerations. In 2024-25, he made $22.5 million. That figure, however, is based off the contract he signed following his Sixth Man of the Year campaign in Boston. The nine-year veteran might take less – it would surprising if anyone paid as much as he made this season – in Milwaukee. The Bucks might be able to sign him using their $14.1 million non-taxpayer mid level exception.
This much is clear: they will need help in Lillard’s absence. Brogdon would allow them to stay competitive next season while giving them a higher ceiling than many free agent alternatives at the position.
For More Great Wisconsin Content
Follow me on X at @ezsniper14 and follow us @WiSportsHeroics for more great content. To read more of our articles and keep up to date on the latest in Wisconsin sports, click here!
