In what appears to be a move to bolster their shooting from the perimeter to help out Giannis Antetokounmpo, the Milwaukee Bucks are bringing in in former lottery pick Nik Stauskas on a one-year deal.
ESPN's Zach Lowe reported the Bucks' signing of Stauskas on Thursday, while Bobby Marks relayed the financial ramifications of the deal:
Milwaukee had 14 players (including second round pick Sam Merrill under contract and a projected $88K below the hard cap.
A non-guaranteed contract (summer contract) does not count as salary during the offseason toward the hard cap. https://t.co/GdvOPJHVXE
— Bobby Marks (@BobbyMarks42) November 26, 2020
The Greek Freak could sign a supermax extension before the start of the 2020-21 season, but it's still unclear if he's going to do that. The Bucks' offseason has been geared toward building a roster that will compliment Giannis for years to come, so they're obviously hoping their moves are enough to convince the superstar to stay.
Milwaukee has been dominant in the last two regular seasons, only to fall short in the playoffs. The Bucks' offense has had some issues in a playoff setting when the game slows down in the half court.
Stauskas spent last season playing overseas in Spain. The former No. 8 overall pick bounced around the NBA prior to that, playing for the Sacramento Kings, Philadelphia 76ers, Brooklyn Nets, Portland Trail Blazers and Cleveland Cavaliers.
In his 24 appearances with the Cavs during the 2018-19 campaign, Stauskas turned in averages of 5.5 points on 36.7 percent shooting from the field (42.9 percent from beyond the arc) and 2.0 rebounds in 14.3 minutes per outing. The 27-year-old is a 35.3% 3-point shooter for his career.
Earlier this offseason, the Bucks acquired guard Jrue Holiday in a four-team deal. Milwaukee has also added depth in the form of Bobby Portis, D.J. Augustin, Bryn Forbes and Torrey Craig in free agency after the failed Bogdan Bogdanovic acquisition attempt. Second-round pick Jordan Nwora will bring more shooting to the fold.
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