The Milwaukee Bucks were eliminated in the first round of the 2023 playoffs by the eighth-seeded Miami Heat. They immediately fired champion tactician Mike Budenholzer and hired first-time head coach Adrian Griffin as the new man in the helm. The Bucks retained most of their guys as they re-signed Khris Middleton, Brook Lopez, and Jae Crowder, though they brought in some more help in Malik Beasley and Robin Lopez.

Even with the disastrous loss to the Heat, the Bucks remain one of the heavy favorites heading into the 2023-24 season. Giannis Antetokounmpo is still arguably the best player in the association, and he's expected to be back at 100% for the start of training camp after his injury early in the postseason. The supplementary pieces like Middleton should be back in peak form as well, so the expectation is for Milwaukee to rack up over 50 wins in the regular season.

However, it was made clear in the recent postseason that the Bucks have some weaknesses they need to address, particularly their offense which went chaotic when the Heat took their defense up a notch. Moreover, the top four guys in Griffin's hierarchy is a given, but it is the rest of the individuals that remains a question mark.

With that said, we take a look at one underrated player the Bucks must target that will fit on their roster.

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TJ McConnell

With the talented bunch in the Milwaukee, sometimes NBA fans forget that Jrue Holiday had no legitimate backup point guard last season. Yes, they had Goran Dragic and Jevon Carter, but they were only utilized for limited minutes and eventually benched in the playoffs. Thus, the playmaking and ball-handling responsibilities were heavily reliant on Holiday's prowess.

Eventually, it took a toll on him as his defensive performance on Jimmy Butler was unlike his usual self. The Bucks lost a solid playmaker in Joe Ingles, so it is paramount for them to target a floor general before the start of training camp. TJ McConnell will be a seamless fit because of his selflessness and peskiness on both ends of the floor. He is not one of the tallest, most athletic, or most skillful point guards in the league, but he is definitely one of the most hard working ones.

With the second-stringers of the Bucks focused on outside shooting and versatility, McConnell brings a different flavor to a squad that is hoping to change the tide of their playoff performance. McConnell will be underutilized as well with the composition of the Indiana Pacers roster, so this is likely the best chance to snag him before the season begins.

His addition will lessen the burden on Holiday, but at the same time, the Bucks will have two excellent defenders at the point guard position. McConnell can give a productive 15-20 minutes a night or even start on some instances when Holiday is not suiting up or recovering from an injury. His perimeter shooting can be a cause for concern, but Griffin must focus on surrounding him with outside shooters like Pat Connaughton and Malik Beasley.

Even if McConnell has difficulty converting 3-pointers, he is a very selfless point guard who will put the aforementioned shooters in the best position to succeed. Milwaukee's payroll is close to $180 million already, so it is a massive boost that McConnell's salary is a low-risk, high-reward move for the Bucks. If he is acquired before the start of the season, TJ McConnell will have two full years in Milwaukee, and that is more than enough to be a crucial piece in the championship puzzle of the organization.