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Bucks' 1-Time All-Star Michael Redd Reacts to End of Milwaukee-Damian Lillard Era - 'You Play Best When You're Happiest' 1 Jan 31, 2024; Portland, Oregon, USA; Milwaukee Bucks guard Damian Lillard (0) shows his love for Portland fans during introductions before a game against the Portland Trail Blazers at Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-USA TODAY Sports

Milwaukee Bucks Retain Urgent Need in Myles Turner Fallout: 3 Names To Fill It

Originally posted on WI Sports Heroics | By John Sbisa | Last updated Jul 2, 2025 11:15 AM ET

Signing Myles Turner has clearly improved the Milwaukee Bucks‘ roster for next season, but they still have a major hole – one Turner’s arrival does nothing to address and, if anything, only aggravates. The Bucks need another point guard. It doesn’t need to be something big, indeed they don’t have the resources for that. Acquiring Turner ate up a big chunk of the cap space they had – which is to say not so much, requiring Damian Lillard’s exile to waivers. Re-signing Kevin Porter Jr. is a plus, but he remains the roster’s only point guard. He might be able to start next year; maybe it doesn’t go so well. In any case, adding a capable facilitator should be priority number one moving forward in the offseason.

Milwaukee Bucks Precariously Positioned at the Point

With Dame waived, the possibility of a backdoor return at season’s end is gone. Vasilije Micic, the point guard the Bucks got in the Pat Connaughton trade, reportedly necessary to finish clearing cap space for Turner, is headed back to Europe. He had a promising rookie stretch in Charlotte but was awful last season anyway. It doesn’t seem he was ever part of Milwaukee’s plans, even as a backup.

The fallout from the Turner deal, then, is that the Bucks are even thinner in the backcourt. Dame won’t save them. Due to his his waive-and-stretch, they’re paying him over $22 million per season for the next five years. They are limited in what long term contracts they can extend to replacement guards. Per ESPN’s Bobby Marks, they have only $3.3 in midlevel exception money left. They still have several roster spots to fill out.

Cagey Veterans Top Remaining Names in Cost-Effective Range

At least for the short term, however, they are still around $20 million away from the luxury tax and nearly $30M away from the first apron. This accounts for Micic’s pending buyout.

Depending on how much the owners want to spend, the Bucks still have options for next season. They could of course – and should – re-sign Ryan Rollins. Yesterday, though, they rescinded his qualifying offer, making him an unrestricted free agent. If they don’t bring him back, and perhaps even if they do, here are three free agents the Bucks could still sign in a dwindling market.

1. Malcolm Brogdon; stats: 12.7 PPG, 4.1 APG, 3.8 RPG

Brogdon is almost too obvious of an option. Frankly, there isn’t much left to say. Limited to 24 games in Portland last season, the former Buck had a poor shooting year (43.3 FG%, 28.6 3P%) and should bounce back in 2025-26. He can score, facilitate and should be available at an economic price; he signed his prior two-year, $45 million contract after winning 6th Man of the Year in Boston. He has been linked as an option in the $5.7M taxpayer midlevel exception range.

2 Former Milwaukee Bucks Points Guards Could Draw Interest from Sacramento Kings, per Insider 3 May 8, 2019; Milwaukee, WI, USA; Milwaukee Bucks guard Malcolm Brogdon (13) drives for the basket against Boston Celtics guard Marcus Smart (36) during the fourth quarter in game five of the second round of the 2019 NBA Playoffs at Fiserv Forum. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports (NBA Rumors)

2. Spencer Dindwiddie; stats: 11.0 PPG, 4.4 APG, 2.6 RPG

Like Brogdon, Dindwiddie did not shoot efficiently last season (41.6, 33.4). In his case, though, that isn’t atypical; he owns career shooting splits of 41.4/33.3/79.6%. The Bucks could use him more for his facilitator abilities than anything else. He would still be a serviceable fallback option if Porter failed to do the job. Coming off a veteran minimum salary, he is a good candidate to sign for the same this season.

3. Russell Westbrook; stats: 13.3 PPG, 6.1 APG, 4.9 RPG

Listen: Westbrook has his flaws and isn’t a great fit in Milwaukee. His lack of consistent shooting could create awkward spacing alongside Giannis Antetokounmpo. However, there aren’t a lot of great fits left on the market. Of the three, he was actually the most efficient from the field last year (44.5, 32.3). He still brings energy, he still has spark. He is still an active defender, notching 1.4 steals per game. Even at age 36, Westbrook rebounds better than most guards in the league.

Milwaukee Bucks Retain Urgent Need in Myles Turner Fallout: 3 Names To Fill It 3 Feb 27, 2025; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Denver Nuggets guard Russell Westbrook (4) looks for a shot against Milwaukee Bucks guard Kevin Porter (3) in the third quarter at Fiserv Forum. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-Imagn Images

He declined a $3.47 million player option to hit free agency, but obviously no one has picked him up yet and if he isn’t looking for a whole lot more, the Bucks could add him as a vocal galvanizer of troops. If teammates aren’t doing their jobs, Westbrook will call them out.

To be clear, at least two of the above choices are not ideal, but the Bucks aren’t operating in circumstances where ideal exists. They must do the best they can with what their limited resources and market availability allows.

This article first appeared on WI Sports Heroics and was syndicated with permission.

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