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This year, the Milwaukee Bucks are once again playing like the top team in the NBA. Even if they haven't had the year they had hoped for, they have still performed admirably and defeated some good opponents who they will undoubtedly face in the playoffs.
They did a fantastic job re-signing Bobby Portis last summer, who is currently playing some of his greatest basketball of his career as Brook Lopez is still recovering from back surgery. Milwaukee also added Grayson Allen, who has an elite three-point shooting percentage and has been a valuable addition to the squad.
Without a doubt, the most pressing need for this Milwaukee Bucks team during the NBA trade deadline was a center. Even if Brook Lopez returns soon, they'll still need someone to defend the rim while he's not on the court. Although there have been several reports that the Bucks are pleased with his progress, there will still be some concerns regarding Brook, given his age and the fact that he is recovering from significant back surgery. Although Bobby Portis has had a fantastic season, there are still some doubts about his defense and whether or not he can make stops on some of the top interior players. He's not the league's worst defender, but he's certainly no Brook Lopez or Serge Ibaka, the Bucks' newest signing. During the NBA trade deadline, Milwaukee only made one move, which was to acquire Serge Ibaka.
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From the Bucks' standpoint, this will be extremely beneficial not just throughout the regular season until Brook returns, but also during the playoffs. Anyone who has followed the Milwaukee Bucks over the past few seasons understands that a center who can stretch the floor while still defending the rim works very well next to Giannis Antetokounmpo. Brook Lopez has played some of the best basketball of his career in Milwaukee, and he has been a big reason for the Bucks' success. Because he plays with Giannis Antetokounmpo, he has had a lot of success as a player in Milwaukee.
Because the Bucks were able to go out and obtain a center, there wasn't necessarily a significant blunder made at the deadline. They decided to trade Donte DiVincenzo, and unfortunately, Pat Connaughton was injured on the day they decided to trade him, so they are currently short on bench depth, but it was a necessary trade because he was their best trade asset, and he hasn't been playing great basketball since returning from injury this season.
If the Milwaukee Bucks needed anything else heading into the trade deadline, it was a backup point guard. George Hill has not had a particularly horrible season, but there are obviously better options than him, and Milwaukee may not want him as their backup in the playoffs. When it comes to the Milwaukee Bucks, if Jrue Holiday isn't on the floor, the squad simply doesn't look right. They have a high turnover rate, and they can't get much going on offense without Holiday on the court.
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The Bucks will never be able to find a player as good as Jrue Holiday because there aren't many guys who can match his talent and what he brings to the table.
If Milwaukee had truly wanted to go all out at the deadline this year, they could have bundled a Jordan Nwora package with any of the draft selections they got in the Serge Ibaka trade into a new deal for a backup guard. This doesn't rule out the possibility of the Bucks acquiring another backup guard during the buyout season, but it would have been good if they could have obtained someone who they believe can make a significant impact on their second unit.
With the signing of Serge Ibaka, there should be no more doubts regarding Milwaukee's center position, assuming he can stay healthy. They may go out and get another big guy simply to have someone, but their primary focus right now will most likely be on their second unit and acquiring a ball-handler. The Bucks didn't do a fantastic job boosting their second unit and adding a ball-handler before the deadline, but they're still in a good spot given they'll be able to sign three players during the buyout market.
It's difficult to claim that the Milwaukee Bucks made any poor decisions at the trade deadline this year. The most obvious need for this club heading into the deadline was a center, and they found someone who can really help them out there.
Milwaukee might have improved their depth and gotten a ball handler if they truly wanted to have a terrific trade deadline, but with the buyout option on the way, there isn't much to be concerned about, and the Bucks once again did a fantastic job during the deadline. Jon Horst, the general manager of the Milwaukee Bucks, has done an outstanding job with this franchise, and it's time to start ranking him among the best general managers in the NBA.
