The Milwaukee Bucks signed shooters Gary Trent Jr. and Delon Wright to bolster backcourt offense and defense.
The Milwaukee Bucks have bolstered their backcourt, signing free agents Delon Wright and Gary Trent Jr. Both are solid shooters who can easily contribute on offense in both the starting lineup and off the bench, and both should bolster a depleted backcourt defense still suffering from the wake of the trade that sent Jrue Holiday away.
In a top-heavy Eastern Conference, the Boston Celtics , New York Knicks , and Philadelphia 76ers all had strong offseasons, and the Orlando Magic and Cleveland Cavaliers are looming as dark horse candidates.
By signing Gary Trent Jr, one of the best available free agents, the Bucks are showing a commitment to winning to superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo , who has not had a deep playoff run since the Bucks won the NBA Finals in 2021.
With a backcourt now featuring Trent, Wright, Damian Lillard , Pat Connaughton , and Khris Middleton , the Bucks should be a dangerous team in the East.
Last season, Trent played in 71 games, starting 41 of them for the Toronto Raptors . He averaged a solid 13.7 points and shot a blistering 39.3 percent from deep. He is also an accomplished defender, he held Trae Young to four-of-13 shooting in a February matchup.
The Bucks sacrificed defense for offense last summer when they traded for Lillard, and a tumultuous season (led by Doc Rivers ) ended in a first-round exit. Assuming Trent Jr. comes off the bench, expect him to be an on-ball defender who can keep up with the league’s best scorers.