Bucks lock in Amir Coffey as Horst reshapes roster

Among his more intriguing low-profile offseason moves, Horst secured the signing of 3-and-D wing Amir Coffey.

Coffey commands attention because his game fits perfectly with what the Bucks need. The 6-foot-7 wing drilled 40.9 percent of his shots from deep last season, giving Milwaukee a reliable option at small forward. He earned steady minutes in the Clippers’ rotation, yet somehow the Bucks signed him to only a training camp deal. That move could turn into one of the biggest steals of the offseason.

Across 72 games with the 50-32 Clippers, including 13 starts, Coffey posted career highs with 9.7 points per game while shooting an efficient .471/.409/.891. He added 2.2 rebounds, 1.1 assists, and 0.6 steals a night. A 38.4 percent career shooter from deep on 2.5 attempts, the seventh-year wing could push Prince for real minutes on the perimeter. For Horst, Coffey represents the type of smart, low-risk gamble the Bucks must hit on to fuel a deep playoff run.

Jon Horst’s offseason moves with the Bucks

Horst also took his biggest gamble of the offseason by stretching and waiving Damian Lillard’s deal , clearing the $112.6 million still owed over two years. The move shifts the burden into $22.5 million annual payments over the next five seasons, paying the 35-year-old to suit up elsewhere. With the freed-up cap room, Horst landed Indiana Pacers free agent center Myles Turner on a four-year, $108.9 million contract, the team’s headline addition of the summer.

The Bucks general manager also added former Orlando Magic guards Cole Anthony and Gary Harris, while keeping key pieces in-house by re-signing Bucks free agents Bobby Portis Jr., Kevin Porter Jr., Gary Trent Jr., Taurean Prince, Ryan Rollins, and Jericho Sims. Portis had previously declined his player option before returning on a new deal.