Bucks and the 2016 Playoffs

Watching the NBA finals, I kept thinking the Bucks are not that far away from getting to the Eastern Conference Finals.

What would it take for the Bucks to make that move?

MCW - Giannis - Parker - Middleton. Assuming health and these young players take a step up in skill, what is needed (and possible) to get there next year?

Add Lopez / Chandler - now we have depth and the 5 and Zaza and Henson can put in minutes according to match-ups.

Not enough, need more scoring / shooting.

Who in the draft would be that piece, not even in a starting role, to help get over the hump? If we pick PF (Looney / Portis type) is there another free agent (Wes Matthews) that could help that the Bucks could afford?

I'd love to have Booker, Grant, Dekkar, or Kaminsky. They all come with question marks (upside and defense namely), but I feel like the added space in the pro game will only help their shooting ability. The Bucks need some scoring punch off the bench in the form of shooters who can create space for their slashers.

I love Wes, but when it comes to pro sports, sentimentality for the "local" guys gets you nowhere more often than not. He's 29, coming off a major injury and wasn't a freak athlete by NBA standards pre-injury. Will he ever be the same? Would he accept a bench role? What is the price tag if he would? These are the questions that immediately come to mind.

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Originally Posted by AbovetheRim

I'd love to have Booker, Grant, Dekkar, or Kaminsky. They all come with question marks (upside and defense namely), but I feel like the added space in the pro game will only help their shooting ability. The Bucks need some scoring punch off the bench in the form of shooters who can create space for their slashers.

I love Wes, but when it comes to pro sports, sentimentality for the "local" guys gets you nowhere more often than not. He's 29, coming off a major injury and wasn't a freak athlete by NBA standards pre-injury. Will he ever be the same? Would he accept a bench role? What is the price tag if he would? These are the questions that immediately come to mind.

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I completely agree with your statement, but Wes is a very good NBA 2-guard (shooting 3's consistently above 40% and a great defender) regardless of whether he is from the state and played at MU or not. That is why he got the lucrative, initial 5-year deal from Portland. He has been the starter, ever since signing the contract, for a very good Portland team that plays in the tougher conference of the two. Wes would be a very nice addition to the Bucks at a reasonable price.

Khris Middleton is 23, got better as the season went on, shot 46% from the field, 40% from three and plays solid defense. While he's not quite Wes pre-injury just yet, there's no way I'm blocking his development for an aging 2 guard with injury concerns on a very young team. Wes at a reasonable price and a bench role (not happening) are the keys.

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Originally Posted by AbovetheRim

Khris Middleton is 23, got better as the season went on, shot 46% from the field, 40% from three and plays solid defense. While he's not quite Wes pre-injury just yet, there's no way I'm blocking his development for an aging 2 guard with injury concerns on a very young team. Wes at a reasonable price and a bench role (not happening) are the keys.

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Andre Iguodala was 6th man for Golden State all season until the NBA Finals. He was an All-Star as recently as 2012. Wes and the other starters in Portland were forced to play a lot of minutes due to a lack of a bench. Wes could be a 6th man and accept it at a respectable price. Bucks will have roughly $22 million in cap space, and can exceed the cap limit to sign Middleton with his "Early Bird" rights. Chandler, at 32, will not get max money.....Bucks theoretically could sign Chandler and Wes.

I didn't mention Wes just because he went to MU, I brought up Wes as he is a proven NBA guard that is coming off an injury so he might not command a mega contract. Sure I followed him because he went to MU, and thought maybe a few less dollars to play in state.

You could easily see Wes and Middleton on the court together. Wes or Middleton could be the 6th man, Kidd plays everyone a lot during the season so the starting 5 is not that important. That is one thing Dudley said was so good about Milwaukee, everyone plays.

Wes would be a dynamite addition for the Bucks, would actually be a great fit in that he plays good defense, and is a good shooter. Those are the two things the Bucks need, not to mention he is high character and would be a good attitude for the young guys.