
Their second priority is making sure there's a group of players around him capable of helping him win as he plays it out. 1 priority is convincing Antetokounmpo to sign that extension. Antetokounmpo will be watching what the Bucks do with each of them closely, as he is eligible for a super max extension this offseason.
#Shatter me series for free
Middleton and Lopez are bound for free agency this offseason. Only drastic measures can shake this team up. It has no young talent, no draft picks to deal and no financial flexibility to pivot. That reality is staring them in the face right now as they approach one of the most important offseasons in team history. The Bucks might have felt comfortable running it back next year if they hadn't just been knocked out by a No. Milwaukee's draft capital was spent on Holiday. Matthews (36), Ingles (35), Crowder (32) and Pat Connaughton (30) are all, to put it mildly, past their peaks. The rest of his roster looks more like the aftermath of one of those microwaved super teams. He's an MVP in his prime with years of winning ahead of him. 1 seed to lose in the first round in NBA history on Wednesday against Jimmy Butler and the Heat.Īntetokounmpo is 28. That is where Milwaukee stands now, having become the sixth No. But the more time passed, the clearer it became that their players were going to wind up falling into separate boxes. Many of the moves were enormous successes. Tucker, Joe Ingles, Jae Crowder, Wes Matthews and George Hill were all acquired for what they could do immediately. Players like Brook Lopez, Jrue Holiday, P.J. 10 overall pick on Thon Maker instead of Domantas Sabonis. 2 overall pick on Jabari Parker instead of Joel Embiid and followed that up by using a No. Plans to support them organically were thwarted when John Hammond used a No. Suddenly, the Bucks had two cornerstone players before their 23rd birthday. In July, they traded Brandon Jennings for Brandon Knight, but forced the Pistons to throw in a little-known second-round rookie named Khris Middleton. In June of 2013, they drafted Giannis Antetokounmpo. In the span of around five weeks, the foundation of their eventual winner was built on two moves. The Bucks don't fall so neatly into a single box. Denver, Memphis and Boston have opportunities for similar longevity. Golden State has been winning for a decade straight now because Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green all arrived at the same time. Your typical "build through the draft" model offers a longer runway. The Lakers, Clippers and Nets all formed with a similar understanding, albeit with wildly varying levels of success. Kevin Durant and Chris Paul don't have a decade of winning left in their bodies. The super team du jour tends to be built with the understanding that its shelf life is limited.

There are two standard forms of NBA contenders.
