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NBA SIMS LEAGUE
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Nov 21 6:59 am

NSL Insider - Team by team: Milwaukee Bucks

by Nenjabin, updated on Wednesday, December 02 2020, 11:20 am EST


 

2019-20 Finish: 16-66

 

Season Highlight:

The Bucks had little to celebrate throughout this year, and that’s how Badwolf designed the team from the get go. Their highlight is most definitely finally seeing Zion hit the floor. He had to wait weeks and weeks into the season, but he came and started to shine. His numbers don’t jump off the page, but he was showing what he can do in the NBA for sure and the NSL will come. 14/6/2/1/1 in 26mins a game, the only way is up for the young prodigy!

 

Season Lowlight:

The lowlight is clear. 16 wins. The Bucks flat out stank last year and they were actively trying to do so too, not even giving their main man the full minutes allocation once he returned. For that reason, maybe the losing was actually a highlight for Wolf himself? But then it all went pear shaped again when they ended up with only the 5th pick in the draft and not the 1st…the reward for 7 more losses than any other team.

 

Best Trade:

There really are very few to choose from, and they’re all so even.

Bucks send: Miles Bridges
Bucks get: 2020 1st round pick (Pick 14)

This trade is kinda sideways to be honest, but there is only 4 trades to choose from and the others are simply, worse. Bridges has at least shown he’s unlikely to ever be a star player, but he’s a good defender and shooter and can fit into any role playing role I believe. That said, the pick could have been anything and he’s ended up with Nesmith who is a leaps and bounds better shooter with potential to at least be a decent defender too.

 


Worst Trade:

Bucks send: Zach LaVine and Thanasis Antetokounmpo
Bucks get: Goga Bitadze, Solomon Hill, Rodney McGruder, 2020 1st round pick (Pick 19) and 2020 2nd round pick (Pick 48)

The Bucks don’t often get the wool pulled over their eyes, but this one is going down for the ages. LaVine transformed the Warriors into a playoff team and they flew up the standings so while the trade might have looked to have made more sense when they were a near top 5 pick, it quickly became all the Warriors winning here with Goga and Precious for LaVine the final product. To have your time again?

 

Other Notable Trades:

Bucks send: Patrick McCaw
Bucks get: 2023 2nd round pick

McCaw isn’t special, but he’s worth more than this.

 

Bucks send: Grayson Allen and Robin Lopez
Bucks get: Zhaire Smith, Langston Galloway and 2020 2nd round pick (Pick 51)

Zhaire is gone now, so in the end, it’s Isaiah Joe for Grayson?

 

Free Agency:

The Bucks are in a little bit of flux really, but they’re all the unwanted big salaries they had. How are they going to reach the minimum salary? Bottom line, they’re not. Waive goodbye to most of these guys.

Derrick Jones Jr – UFA, wanting to test the market.

Ian Mahinmi – UFA, mutually parting ways.

Tyler Johnson – UFA, maybe some interest in bringing back? Unlikely.

Solomon Hill – UFA, mutually parting ways.

Adam Mokoka – Expired 2way, RFA if desired.

Zhaire Smith – UFA, hoping to find a deal somewhere, possibly interested in bringing back.

 

Star:

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

While Zion was who all eyes were on last year, Shai was and is the star of this team for now. He played and started in all 82 games and had averages of 15/5/5/1 in 30 minutes a night. He’s rumoured to be moving to PG entirely this coming season which should only further boost his numbers and experience and he’s on the fast track to NBA stardom. He’s not quite there yet, but in Milwaukee, he’s the most important person on the team outside of the enigma.

 


Goat:

Zhaire Smith

This one was, unfortunately, easy. Zhaire has been around a couple of years now and nothing. Yes, he’s been injured, but he’s also quite simply not that good. He showed so much promise and was taken relatively high in the NBA draft, and now he’s found himself salary dumped and waived and quite possibly out of the league for a least a year until he can show in the GLeague that he can make it on the top level. The Bucks gave up a solid other guard to bring him in too, all for naught.

 

Draft Grades:

Pick 5 – Killian Hayes
Pick 14 – Aaron Nesmith
Pick 19 – Precious Achiawu
Pick 31 – Robert Woodard
Pick 48 – Yam Madar
Pick 51 – Isaiah Joe

A Grade

A mixed bag for the draft loving Bucks but you can’t really fault any of the selections which is good enough for the A. Hayes is the future in Detroit in the NBA so makes sense at 5 next to Shai. Nesmith is the best shooter in the draft with good tools to be more, and was right around that 14 mark too. Precious was right around the mark too and looks like a nice hustle big man to pay both spots with room to grow. Woodard is ready right now to play a sweeter shooting Roberson type role, but he’s pretty much going to be set as that off ball defender guy. But he will stick. Madar we’ll judge in a couple of years more likely, but he’s a solid stash PG and then there’s Joe who needs to start doing anything else other than shooting…or at least re-find the vigor as a shooter he once showed, to then find a spot.

 

The Future:

The Bucks are all future! They’re going to be even younger this year than last year unless they do something crazy in free agency, but Wolf is going to want to lose again. What will be the result of their free agency and the development of their youth?

C: Precious Achiawu / Goga Bitadze
PF: Zion Williamson / Rodions Kurucs /
SF: Aaron Nesmith / Chandler Hutchison / Robert Woodard
SG: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander / Hamidou Diallo / Rodney McGruder
PG: Killian Hayes / Dante Exum / Isaiah Joe

 

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