Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks are making a major splash at the start of the 2024 NBA Free Agency period. The Bucks are planning to sign former Los Angeles Lakers forward Taurean Prince to a new deal, per Shams Charania. Prince's two-way abilities could be just what Milwaukee needs to get over the hump.
Taurean Prince is preparing to start his 10th season in the NBA. He began his career with the Atlanta Hawks when the team selected him with the 12th pick in the 2016 Draft.
Prince spent his first few years developing as a 3-point shooting and perimeter defensive threat. Before landing on the Lakers, he made stops with the Brooklyn Nets, Cleveland Cavaliers and Minnesota Timberwolves.
Through 78 games in 2023-24, Prince averaged 8.9 points, 2.9 rebounds and 0.7 steals, and shot 39.6 percent on his 3-pointers in 27 minutes per game. Prince gained experience playing alongside one of the most dominant forwards in the NBA: LeBron James. Thus, his transition to playing with Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Bucks should be easier.
Milwaukee will need Prince to continue knocking down 3-point shots at an efficient clip and play stout perimeter defense. The Bucks already possess the services of Khris Middleton and Pat Connaughton, so adding Prince bolsters their wing depth.
Milwaukee's 2024-25 starting five could look like this:
PG: Damian Lillard
SG: Khris Middleton
SF: Taurean Prince
PF: Giannis Antetokounmpo
C: Brook Lopez
This lineup would depend on whether the Bucks make any other major NBA Free Agency moves. The lineup presents a good balance of scoring, defense and rebounding. Milwaukee is looking for its unit to have great production as it searches for an improved postseason showing.
Bucks look to make jump in 2024-25
Taurean Prince's move to Milwaukee is a bit surprising, given that he said his priority was to remain with the Lakers at the end of the season. However, Prince should be of great service to the Bucks.
Milwaukee could still be in the market for more moves before the summer ends with two key players at the center of rumors.
“Rival executives have also come away with the sense that Bobby Portis and Pat Connaughton are available on the trade market if Milwaukee can make a notable win-now upgrade,” Michael Scotto of Hoops Hype said in late June.
“Both players, however, have been mentioned as possible trade candidates in the past, and nothing has come of it. Portis finished as a Sixth Man of the Year finalist for the second-straight year.”
The Bucks may want to keep Portis and Connaughton as depth pieces instead of trading them. But things change quickly, especially in NBA Free Agency. Regardless of what happens, Giannis Antetokounmpo is determined to help his team return stronger for the 2024-25 season.
“Milwaukee, THANK YOU,” Antetokounmpo posted on social media after the 2023-24 season. “This season didn’t end the way we wanted it to, but I promise you we will get back to where we belong, and they’re going to give us our damn flowers.”
The Bucks finished 2023-24 with the third-best record in the Eastern Conference but lost in the first round of the playoffs to the Indiana Pacers. Rest assured, Milwaukee will make the right moves to make a deeper run the following season.
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