It’s hard to deny that Gary Trent Jr. stands out as the Milwaukee Bucks‘ most significant free agency signing this summer. After all, it was a massive win for Milwaukee to get Trent on a minimum deal despite bigger offers from opposing teams.
Somewhat overshadowed by the Trent coup is the acquisition of veteran guard Delon Wright. General manager Jon Horst has now shed some light as to why Wright was their first signing in free agency.
Milwaukee Bucks News: Jon Horst Has Nothing But Praise for Delon Wright
Horst and the Bucks front office had more than a few reasons as to why they decided to bring Wright in. At the end of the day, however, it’s the 32-year-old’s versatility that made him such an important signing for the squad.
“Delon just gave us a ton of flexibility. He was not only an early target, he was a top target for us,” Horst said, via Eric Nehm of The Athletic. “Again, credit to Delon, he chose fit and opportunity over everything. He wanted to contribute to winning, wanted to be part of a great culture, wanted to play with people that he’s familiar with, and in a system that he thought he could excel in.”
The Wright signing could be the type of low-key move that might just pay major dividends for the Bucks. Based on Horst’s comments, it is clear that the team already has a comprehensive blueprint in place in terms of how Wright will be able to elevate the rest of the squad.
“Delon is a really successful, versatile player,” Horst continued. “We targeted him because he can start at or back up two positions, maybe even three. He’s a big guard. He’s a defensive-minded guard. He’s playoff proven. … He’s capable of playing on the ball in pick-and-roll. He’s capable of playing off the ball as a catch-and-shoot threat from 3. He can finish around the rim.
“So, for us, the versatility of Delon being able to play at either backcourt positions as a starter, as a backup, just with his experiences, was an absolute no-brainer. He was a high, high target for us and we were very fortunate that we were able to get him early.”
Wright is no star, but he might just be the unheralded X-factor that takes Milwaukee over the edge in 2024-25.
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