Milwaukee Bucks 2023 free agency tracker: Malik Beasley and Robin Lopez agree to deals
The Milwaukee Bucks, the NBA’s overall No. 1 seed, were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs in a stunning upset by the eighth-seeded Miami Heat. The team has since changed head coaches and has been focused on rebuilding the roster for the 2023-24 season.
The Bucks drafted guard Andre Jackson Jr. and forward Chris Livingston in the second round of the NBA Draft on June 22.
As it stands, free agency and the trade market is likely where the Bucks will retool for another championship run.
Regarding Khris Middleton and Brook Lopez, Jon Horst said after the draft that, "Both of those guys specifically are core to who we have been and we're hopeful we can have them back. They're both technically extension eligible so there's things we can talk about now and things that we can't. If we don't extend them they'll become free agents, but ultimately what matters is we're hopeful to have them back. (We've) been really good and they're a big part of that and want to try to keep 'em."
The Bucks have done that, agreeing to new deals with each.
Let’s take a look (in alphabetical order) at which Bucks players became free agents and where they are headed. Deals cannot become official until 11:01 a.m. CT on July 6.
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Who have the Bucks signed in free agency?
Malik Beasley
HoopsHype reported the Bucks' interest in the 26-year-old shooting guard. Beasley is entering his seventh season after being the No. 19 pick in the 2016 draft out of Florida St. Originally selected by Denver, Beasley spent parts of four seasons there before moving on to Minnesota, Utah and the Los Angeles Lakers. He is a career 37.8% three-point shooter and has shown scoring potential, averaging 20.7 points over 14 games with the Timberwolves after being traded there in 2019-20. He followed it up with a 19.6 points per game season in 2020-21. In his career he's averaged 10.8 points per game.
Analysis: The Bucks have brought back their entire core, and as of July 2 their top seven players are under contract while Jae Crowder and MarJon Beauchamp are also back. So on the back end of the roster, the team may be looking for some new energy and youth. Beasley has come off the bench for most of his career (114 starts in 417 games) so he'd be familiar with that role. He's also appeared in 31 playoff games.
The latest: The Bucks and Beasley agreed to a 1-year, $2.7 million deal, per HoopsHype.
Jae Crowder
Age: 32 (33 on opening day)
Need to know: Was part of a deal that saw the Bucks send out 5 second-round draft picks and several players to acquire at the trade deadline, and he eventually appeared in 18 games for 18.9 minutes per game. In limited time, he made 43.6% of his three-pointers and 47.9% of his shots in the regular season but played just 41 total minutes in the five-game loss to the Heat.
More: Jae Crowder after Bucks' loss to Jimmy Butler and the Heat: 'I don’t know my purpose here'
Crowder told the Journal Sentinel he would be open to a return to Milwaukee: “I would, because in the locker room it’s a great group of guys who puts work first & we have fun after that. I can work in that type of environment."
The latest: The Bucks and Crowder have agreed to come together on a one-year deal.
Brook Lopez
Age: 35
Need to know: Lopez was the Defensive Player of the Year runner-up and a first all-defensive team member while also averaging the most points per game (15.9) he had since 2017. Lopez was second on the team in games played (78) and third in minutes per game (30.4) while shooting 37.4% from behind the three-point line and 53.1% from the field overall. It appeared that he had fully recovered from a December, 2021 back surgery.
The latest: Lopez agreed to re-sign with the Bucks for two years and $48 million.
Robin Lopez
Age: 35
Need to know: Robin Lopez will be making his second appearance in Milwaukee, having played for the Bucks in the 2019-20 season. The No. 15 pick of the 2008 draft, he has played for nine teams. From 2013-18 he started 450 games for New Orleans, Portland, New York and Chicago and averaged 10.8 points, 6.6 rebounds and 1.1 blocks per game. Since the 2018-19 season, he's started 61 of his 284 games for Chicago, Milwaukee, Washington, Orlando and Cleveland, averaging 7.3 points and 3.2 rebounds off the bench. He appeared in 37 games last season for the Cavaliers.
The latest: The Athletic reported the Bucks and Lopez agreed to a 1-year deal.
Khris Middleton
Option value: $40.4 million UPDATE: Middleton elected to decline his option on June 21, making him a free agent.
Age: 31 (32 by opening day)
Need to know: Middleton underwent surgery on his right knee after the playoffs after playing in 33 games last season. He missed a big chunk of time recovering from left wrist surgery last offseason and then he missed more time with soreness in his right knee. After returning for the second time on Jan. 23, the team ripped off a 16-game winning streak and in 11 starts from March 7-April 2 he looked like a three-time all-star in averaging 19.9 points per game on 47% shooting. He also averaged 7.0 assists in those games.
In the five-game series against the Heat, though clearly limited by his knee injury, Middleton played 34.6 minutes per game and averaged 23.8 points on 46.5% shooting, including 40.5% from behind the three-point line. He also averaged 6.4 rebounds and 6.2 assists per game.
Middleton told the Journal Sentinel at the start of the season that he'd like to stay in Milwaukee: “I think everybody knows that. Even though I know you’re really not supposed to say it for all the reasons out there, but I think everybody knows deep down that I want to stay. But also, you know it’s a business. Things change, things happen. You just never know. For sure I would love to stay. If everything works out."
The latest: Middleton agreed to a three-year, $102 million deal to return to the Bucks.
Who are the Bucks unrestricted free agents?
Thanasis Antetokounmpo
Age: 30 (31 on opening day)
Need to know: Appeared in 37 games (and 5.6 minutes per game), the fewest in a full season for his career. He also shot a career-low 43.5% from the field. Giannis Antetokounmpo noted the team’s lack of energy during a game in which Thanasis missed for personal reasons. A popular teammate and fan favorite, Thanasis Antetokounmpo will play for Greece in the World Cup.
Goran Dragić
Age: 37
Need to know: After signing as a late-season buyout addition (and missing some time with his own knee issues), Dragić played in 11.9 minutes per game over seven contests at the end of the regular season. He shot 41.2% from behind the three-point line. Dragić told the Journal Sentinel at the end of the season he had not decided if he would retire or not, but he will not play in the World Cup.
Meyers Leonard
Age: 31
Need to know: Leonard was signed for the rest of the season following two, 10-day contracts. They were his first NBA contracts since the 2020-21 season in Miami. He played in nine regular season games and shot 38.9% from behind the three-point line. A career 39% three-point shooter and a willing defender, the 7-footer provided additional big man depth behind Brook Lopez.
The latest: Leonard told the Journal Sentinel after the season that he would like to return to Milwaukee: "Yeah, of course. Like I said when I first got here, the Bucks took a huge chance on me for a multitude of reasons."
Wesley Matthews
Age: 36 (37 on opening day)
Need to know: Matthews averaged 15.8 minutes per game over 52 games during the regular season, where he shot a career-low 31.5% from behind the three-point line and 36.3% from the field. He missed three playoff games with injury, though when he returned in Game 5 vs. the Heat he had some effectiveness against Jimmy Butler.
Who have the Bucks lost in free agency?
Jevon Carter
Option value: $2.2 millionUPDATE: Per HoopsHype, a USA TODAY property, Carter will decline his option to become an unrestricted free agent.
Age: 27 (28 on opening day)
Need to know: Led the Bucks in games played with 81 (39 starts) and became a vital contributor in the regular season. He shot 42.1% from behind the three-point line and provided a scoring punch when needed. In a career-high 22.3 minutes per game, Carter also set career highs in points per game (8.0), three-point attempts (4.2), rebounds (2.5) and steals (0.8). Carter also would seem to be a good fit for the high pressure defense new coach Adrian Griffin said he wants to deploy.
The latest: Carter signed a three-year deal worth $20 million to play for his hometown team, the Chicago Bulls. His agency announced the signing on ESPN.
Joe Ingles
Age: 35 (36 on opening day)
Need to know: Ingles plans on representing Australia in the World Cup, and he enjoyed his season in Milwaukee. After returning from a knee injury suffered in Utah in 2021-22, he averaged 22.7 minutes per game over 46 games last year. He rediscovered his three-point shooting touch (40.9%). But in the playoffs, his minutes dipped to 17.8 per game and they diminished each of the last three games of the series.
The latest: The Journal Sentinel confirmed Ingles is expected to reach a deal to play for the Orlando Magic. His agency announced a 2-year, $22 million agreement.
Who have the Bucks been connected to in free agency?
Even if the Bucks do not re-sign any of their own free agents, they would have to sign eight players to reach the league-minimum of 14 guaranteed contracts. With the six players already under contract they would have very little cap space to use.
Below are players that have been connected to the Bucks via free agency:
Terence Davis
HoopsHype reported the Bucks have interest in the 26-year-old shooting guard who most recently played for Sacramento. An undrafted free agent out of the University of Mississippi in 2019, the 6-4 guard signed with the Toronto Raptors in 2019. He was traded to the Kings in March, 2021 and re-signed with them later that summer. He averaged a career-high 11.1 points per game in 27 games with the Kings after the trade, and followed it up by averaging 10.4 points per game in 2021-22. But under a new head coach last season, Davis saw his playing time reduced.
Analysis: The Bucks will be looking for an injection of youth that may yet still have upside to tap into. Davis has history with new head coach Adrian Griffin and members of his coaching staff, too. He's a career 36.6% three-point shooter, but he converted at a 38% clip his rookie season with the Raptors.
Eric Gordon
The Athletic reported the Bucks have interest in Gordon, who was waived by the Los Angeles Clippers. The no. 7 pick in the 2008 draft, the 34-year-old averaged 12.4 points per game last season between Houston and Los Angeles. Over the last seven seasons he's come off the bench in 230 of his 410 games played.
Analysis: Like Rose, Gordon has long been connected to the Bucks in trade rumors over the last few years. Gordon was the 2016-17 Sixth Man of the Year and has knocked down 36% of his three-pointers since that season. A 20-point per game scorer early in career, Gordon would likely be asked to provide a scoring boost to the second unit of the Bucks.
The latest: The Athletic reported Gordon reached a deal with the Phoenix Suns.
Derrick Rose
NBA insider Marc Stein reported the interest between Rose and the Bucks. Rose was the no. 1 pick in the 2008 draft for Chicago and won Rookie of the Year. He was the league's youngest MVP in 2010-11, but knee injuries staggered his career. He's been a reserve since 2017-18, but he's averaged 14.1 points and 3.9 assists per game in that role since.
Analysis: It feels like Rose has been on the Bucks' radar (or vice versa) for some time, but the 34-year-old former MVP is now a free agent after having his option declined by the Knicks. Rose is a bench player now, but when he did play for the Knicks he provided instant offense in the mid range and is still a solid ball handler. Those are areas the team could use an upgrade at in the second unit. But, after being benched by Tom Thibodeau last season in favor of New York's younger guards, does Rose have enough left to play the style and quality of defense new Bucks head coach Adrian Griffin wants? Griffin coached Rose in Chicago earlier in their respective careers.
The latest: Multiple outlets have reported Rose has agreed to sign with the Memphis Grizzlies.
Could the Bucks be in the trade market?
The Bucks were the oldest team in the league last year and still won 58 games. If the thought was to shake that group up and perhaps get slightly younger, the team would have to explore trade options.
The Bucks would be able to sign and trade Middleton and there are no restrictions in trading Pat Connaughton or Grayson Allen. Bobby Portis could also be dealt, but he has a 15% trade kicker on his contract. The team could also trade Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jrue Holiday and MarJon Beauchamp without restriction.
Below are players the Bucks have been connected to via trade:
Bradley Beal
The Journal Sentinel confirmed the Bucks had interest in acquiring the Washington shooting guard. Beal would have to waive a no-trade clause and he also had a 15% trade kicker on his 5-year, $251 million "supermax" contract. Beal, who will turn 30 on June 28, is a three-time all-star.
The latest: Ultimately, Beal narrowed his choices to Miami and Phoenix and the Suns reportedly agreed to acquire the guard for Chris Paul, Landry Shamet, first-round draft pick swaps and second-round picks. The Suns also received Jordan Goodwin and Isaiah Todd in the deal.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Bucks free agency tracker: Malik Beasley and Robin Lopez agree to deals
