It was a terrible end to the season for the Milwaukee Bucks as they fell to the Miami Heat in the second round of the playoffs on Tuesday. The series wasn't even close, as the top-seeded Bucks were handily defeated by an underdog Miami side, 4-1. This being the case, the Bucks undoubtedly need to make a splash in the offseason. It is clear that that they're still (at least) one star away from being a real threat to the title, and this might just come in the form of Oklahoma City Thunder All-Star point guard Chris Paul.
The Bucks are heading to one of the most important offseasons in the history of this franchise, with the team looking to sign cornerstone superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo on a max extension. While the newly-crowned Defensive Player of the Year winner has time and time again intimated his loyalty to the Bucks and his intention to sign an extension, nothing is set in stone. Milwaukee's bitter end to the season only accentuates the risk of losing Giannis.
Below are three compelling reasons why the Milwaukee Bucks should go all-in on bringing Chris Paul into the fold for next season.
Still Elite
At 35, Paul is no spring chicken. However, what the 6-foot-1 point guard has proven this season is that he still remains to be one of the best playmakers in the game today.
It now feels a lifetime away since most folks called time on Paul's career following last summer's trade from the Houston Rockets. Not many thought that Paul would play a single minute for a rebuilding Thunder side, and even less (if any) believed that he could carry this team to the fifth seed in a ruthless Western Conference.
Paul bought into head coach Billy Donovan's plans for OKC, and this resulted in the best season of his career in the past few years — arguably even more impressive than the two years he spent in Houston. This season, Paul averaged 17.6 points (on 48.9 percent shooting), 5.0 rebounds, 6.7 assists, and 1.6 steals per contest en route to a return to the All-Star squad after a three-year absence.
There is no doubt that Paul is still elite, and the Bucks might just find the final piece of their puzzle in him
Excellent Fit
The Bucks have one of the most formidable lineups in the entire league, and for his part, Eric Bledsoe has done a tremendous job manning the point guard spot for this squad. However, there's no denying that Paul presents a significant upgrade compared to Bledsoe.
With Paul taking over playmaking duties in Milwaukee, this team should experience a significant boost in its offensive efficiency. Paul remains to be one of the best in half-court sets, which plays right into the Bucks' strengths.
Most importantly, Paul will be able to create more chances for Giannis. Antetokounmpo has never played with a truly elite point guard in his career, and pairing up with Paul could potentially unlock a new facet to Giannis' game that we haven't seen in the past.
Finally, one cannot overlook Paul's scoring ability. Being the great facilitator that he is, it's easy to forget that he is more than capable of taking over a game on his own. He's an excellent scorer that can drop a cool 30-point effort on any given night, thereby providing another legitimate offensive threat for Milwaukee.
For Giannis
At the end of the day, it cannot be denied that the Bucks' primary objective in pulling a trigger on this blockbuster deal is in order to keep Antetokounmpo happy. Giannis will be entering the final year of his deal next season, so they need him to sign an extension this summer. If he refuses to do so, then this might just force the hand of Milwaukee to try to trade him away in the offseason. Failing to do so will run a huge risk of losing him for nothing next summer.
What better way to please an unquestionably disappointed Antetokounmpo than by bringing in a Future Hall of Famer into the team? In the end, this might still not be enough to keep Giannis happy, but for their part, the Bucks need to do everything in their power to try and convince him to stay.
Taking on Paul's gargantuan contract is not ideal for the Bucks, and they will need to perform some salary cap maneuvering to make this deal work. The Thunder will also require quite a haul for their prized point guard, which will likely include any two between George Hill, Brook Lopez, and Eric Bledsoe. A guy like Donte DiVincenzo might also need to be thrown in the mix, and so will future draft picks.
Make no mistake about it. The risk is going to be extremely high for the Bucks, but at this point, they will need to be willing to risk it all for a once in a generation type of talent in Giannis Antetokounmpo.
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