Bucks: What’s new, season prediction & 2024 free agents

Giannis Antetokounmpo shook the tree — the I-want-to-win-so-I’ll-consider-playing-elsewhere tree — and, what do you know, Damian Lillard dropped out of it. The high-scoring Portland guard gets to chase the championship he could not bring to the Trail Blazers, while easing some of the Greek Freak’s workload and responsibility.

What’s new?

• “Dame Time” moves from the Pacific to the Central time zone, with the 33-year-old shooter and clutch performer playing with his most talented team and teammate ever.
• Adrian Griffin takes over for Mike Budenholzer as coach, earning his promotion after 15 years as an NBA assistant and hoping to match Steve Kerr (2015) and Nick Nurse (2019) as ring-winners in his rookie season.
• Shooting guard is an obvious need, more so defensively with both Jrue Holiday and Grayson Allen gone in the Lillard deal.

How far can the Bucks go?

Milwaukee already was driven to put last spring’s unceremonious ousting in the first round vs. Miami behind it and barge back into NBA Finals conversations. The Lillard trade and resulting exuberance installed them as immediate title favorites, even if it was done as much to placate Antetokounmpo’s challenge to the front office. The Bucks have flaws — depth, quickness, youth — so both Lillard and Antetokounmpo might have to score a little less but do and lead more.

1 player who must take a leap

Khris Middleton. The veteran wing, in his 12th season, doesn’t have to leap anywhere he hasn’t been before or even quite that far. A three-time All-Star, he can get comfy as the Bucks’ No. 3 weapon if he boosts his scoring, shooting and availability from their disappointing 2022-23 levels (15.1 points per game, 43.6 FG% in just 33 games). At age 32, he should get cleaner looks and better opportunities … if he can stay quick enough to defend and durable enough to be on the floor.

In-Season Tournament

The Bucks are in East Group B. Here’s a refresher course on how the In-Season Tournament works.

Upcoming free agents

The Bucks have three players who will be free agents in 2024.

• Malik Beasley
• Jae Crowder
• Robin Lopez

Less important than the players who might leave next summer is the one Milwaukee fears losing in 2025:  Antetokounmpo. It still makes more sense for the player and the team to do an extension next offseason, to allow the Bucks to lock him up longer and Antetokounmpo to get a richer contract. Learning whether last year’s first-round pick MarJon Beauchamp will merit an extension, unlike previous picks D.J. Wilson and Thon Maker, is a secondary priority this season.