The Milwaukee Bucks made an exit from the 2022 postseason earlier than they had hoped. The defending NBA Champions were defeated in the second round by the Boston Celtics, getting eliminated in seven games.
The absence of Khris Middleton, who injured his knee in the first round, was a big reason that the Bucks were unable to get past Boston. Their stifling defense made things hard on Milwaukee despite superhuman performances from Giannis Antetokounmpo, who was doing everything he could to get his team over the hump.
The return of Middleton will certainly help get the Bucks back on track, but the series against the Celtics showed there is more that the team needs to work on. Ball movement is atop that list.
Passing was not very prevalent in Milwaukee this season. They averaged the second-fewest passes per game among playoff teams, which led to some stale stretches of offense. Antetokounmpo generates a ton of offense with his drives to the basket, but others need to get involved as well.
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Upgrading the backup point guard spot is a good place to start. George Hill did nothing to help the team win as he was nonexistent in the series against the Celtics. Adding another playmaker in free agency would make a lot of sense and Ricky Rubio is one player that could fit the bill.
Rubio is recovering from a torn ACL, so he could miss the beginning of the season. However, that will likely knock down his price in free agency, potential to a range even the over the luxury tax Bucks can afford.
His skill set is exactly what the Bucks rotation could use. Rubio was sixth in assist percentage on drives last year, something they could use more of. While 3-point shooting has been an issue throughout his career, Rubio’s 33.9 percent last season is actually better than what they were receiving from Hill.
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So, while Hill is better throughout their careers, it may not be as drastic of a gap as originally thought. It wouldn’t be his scoring that the Milwaukee Bucks would be relying on, however, as they would be happy with him keeping the ball movement prevalent in the offense, as he averaged 53.9 passes per game during the 2021-22 season, which was more than any Buck.
If they want to contend again next season, more playmakers are something they need. Ricky Rubio would be a good fit even if they have to wait until midseason to get him in the lineup.
