Deadseriousness Audit: 2022-23 Milwaukee Bucks

Welcome to the Deadseriousness Audit where we break down the season that was and preview the season to come.

The 2022-23 Milwaukee Bucks were 58-24, good enough for the no. 1 seed in the East. Naturally, you’d think the team with a Top 5 defense and the best record in the conference would have a deep playoff run but nope, they lost to a way worse Miami Heat team in only 5 games. Yikes.

But according to Giannis, the season wasn’t a failure. I also enjoy lying.

What Went Right

Thanks to Kendrick Perkins throwing a Molotov cocktail in the middle of the MVP discussion by asking JJ Redick on First Take why Nikola Jokic is the runaway MVP favorite over Joel Embiid, implying racism was involved, Giannis almost stole the trophy this season. Giannis averaged a career-high 31.1 points a game to go along with his 11.8 rebounds and 5.7 assists.

At age 34, Brook Lopez was the runner-up for Defensive Player of the Year. Lopez led the lead in blocks and was 4th in block percentage. When he was on the floor, you were not getting to the rim against him.

Also want to give a quick shout out to Jrue Holiday who I think had a better offensive season than he usually does. He already has a reputation as one of the best on-ball defenders but this season, he made some big shots.

What Went Wrong

It should’ve been a MASSIVE red flag when the Bucks lost 99-140 to the Boston Celtics like, two weeks before the season started. They were truly run out of the gym by a team that everyone believed was their peer. The no. 1 seed got pounded by the no. 2 seed and no one batted an eye.

Khris Middleton was the closer for this team. A guy you hand the ball to in the final possession and you know you’re going to get a great shot off. Middleton returned from a knee injury halfway through the season and never looked ready to play basketball.

But I guess what really went wrong was Giannis getting injured in the first quarter of Game 1 against the Heat.

Giannis Antetokounmpo takes a hard fall as Kevin Love attempts to draw a charge. pic.twitter.com/bFBRdaEsz8

— Bally Sports Sun: HEAT (@BallyHEAT) April 16, 2023

Giannis not being healthy will always be a problem for the Bucks.

Free Agency

The Bucks have a difficult off-season. Brook Lopez and Khris Middleton need new contracts. Both men are on the wrong side of 30 and this team desperately needs youth. Even if they let all of their free agents walk, they’d still only be able to add players with the veterans minimum which wouldn’t improve this team much at all.

Unfortunately, I think the Bucks just have to run it back with Giannis, Middleton and Lopez while looking to find an upgrade at point guard. Jrue Holiday still plays pretty frantically when the game is on the line. He misses too many free throws and turns the ball over with weird decisions.

They’d need a third team to get involved but they should for sure take a look at Damian Lillard for Holiday. Obviously, Portland is saying no to that trade straight up but if you get another team that actually has draft picks then you might be able to swing this.

Otherwise, this will be the same exact team next season minus Goran Dragic, Joe Ingles and Jae Crowder. Maybe they can get like, Terrence Ross on a min deal or Jrue’s brother Justin.

The Draft

The Bucks don’t have a first-round draft pick until 2028 so I’ll use this section to talk about head coach Mike Budenholzer. Personally, I think he’s one of those guys that are over-qualified assistant coaches but simply are not built to lead a basketball team.

Erik Spoelstra and the Miami Heat put coach bud in the torture chamber. Bud seems unable to make in-series adjustments. That Game 5 was a master class on how to lose and start your summer vacation early.

But it was reported that Budenholzer’s brother passed away in the middle of that series which means it’s almost impossible to fire him after that tragedy.

This will be the same exact team next season and I think they’ll make the playoffs but they won’t have homecourt advantage. They’re getting old as hell and they have no draft assets to get any youth in the building and a head coach who always looks like he just went through his wife’s emails and DID NOT like what he found.