The Milwaukee Bucks continue their efforts to build a championship team around Giannis Antetokounmpo. They clinched the title in 2021 and have secured eight consecutive playoff appearances, but two back-to-back first-round exits have left the team seeking upgrades. With new spending restrictions coming into play, bolstering the roster will be more challenging. Milwaukee is eager to make additions, but it’s not going to be straightforward.
Last summer, Giannis placed pressure on the organization, leading to the Bucks trading for Damian Lillard and overhauling their roster. The Greek Freak is determined to win, which hinges on maintaining good health, but Antetokounmpo won’t be content without being part of a perennial title contender.
Milwaukee must make every move count, including identifying undervalued free agents. Since drafting Giannis in 2013, the Bucks have made several regrettable free agent signings that didn’t pan out. The following list is organized chronologically and is not a ranking of the worst moves.
O.J. Mayo
The Bucks signed O.J. Mayo to a three-year, $24 million contract just days after drafting Giannis in 2013, making him the team’s highest-paid player in the first year. However, Mayo failed to live up to expectations.
Drafted third overall in 2008 and known as a proven scorer, Mayo came to Milwaukee with a history of questions regarding his work ethic and off-court issues, but the Bucks took a chance on him. It quickly became evident that they had overpaid. Mayo never averaged more than 26.6 minutes per game, and his efficiency declined sharply.
Following the 2015-16 season, Mayo was banned for a drug violation and never returned to the NBA. He was just 28 when he played his final game, and no team offered him another opportunity as his game was deteriorating.
The Bucks overpaid for Mayo, who was more suited as a sixth man rather than one of the highest-paid players on the team. This significant mistake hindered their ability to build a competitive roster during Antetokounmpo’s first three years in Milwaukee, though it was far from their only misstep.
Mirza Teletovic
In their second season with Giannis, the Bucks reached the playoffs but regressed in 2015-16. Despite Giannis and Khris Middleton’s emergence, Milwaukee lacked floor spacing. They ranked last in the NBA in both 3-pointers made and attempted in 2016. Given Giannis’s limited shooting range, the Bucks needed additional scoring options.
The significant salary cap increase in 2016 provided every team with financial flexibility. This period saw Kevin Durant joining the Warriors, while the Bucks ended up offering Mirza Teletovic a three-year, $30 million deal. Standing at 6’9, the forward was coming off a strong NBA season, averaging 12.2 points and 3.8 rebounds in 21.3 minutes per game. However, it was unlikely he could justify his hefty new contract.
Teletovic had a previous successful stint under Jason Kidd with the Nets, but his time in Milwaukee was different. He saw limited playing time, averaging just 16.2 minutes per game, and his efficiency declined. Teletovic played only 80 games over two seasons before being waived.
The Milwaukee Bucks, flush with available funds, made a regrettable decision by signing a reserve 3-point shooter who offered little else. Teletovic was just one of the disappointments from the team’s 2016 free agent signings.
Miles Plumlee
In 2015, the Bucks acquired Michael Carter-Williams, Tyler Ennis, and Plumlee in a three-team trade that saw Brandon Knight and Kendall Marshall depart. This move helped the Bucks secure a playoff spot, but they were swept by the Bulls in the opening round.
Despite playing just 9.3 minutes per game towards the end of the season and seeing only 16 total minutes in the playoffs, Plumlee was awarded a four-year, $52 million contract by the Bucks in the summer of 2016. In his first full season with the team, he averaged 14.3 minutes per game as a reserve.
However, Plumlee’s performance declined further after signing the new deal. He appeared in just 32 games, averaging 2.6 points and 1.7 rebounds in 9.7 minutes per contest. The Bucks eventually traded him to Charlotte for Spencer Hawes and Roy Hibbert, both of whom were nearing the end of their careers, as a means to offload Plumlee’s contract.
Regardless of the salary cap spike, paying a backup big man $13 million per season to play ten to 15 minutes per game is deemed irresponsible. The Bucks cannot afford to overpay their current talent, especially while aiming to contend. Every asset holds value, and Plumlee’s inability to produce at the level expected of such a highly-paid player arguably makes this the worst signing of the Giannis era.
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