Important Dates To Know For Milwaukee Bucks’ 2021 Offseason

There’s no rest for the wicked. Or the NBA Champion Milwaukee Bucks. Just a few days removed from winning the 2021 NBA Finals, their front office must immediately go into offseason mode and determine the best way to defend their title next season.

With the abbreviated offseason coming fast and furious, here are the important dates to know as you continue celebrating the Bucks’ championship victory.

July 28th

Despite not playing much in the NBA Finals, Bryn Forbes played an integral role on the Bucks both in the regular season and throughout the playoffs. He was their guy opponent’s couldn’t leave alone behind the arc; their three-point sniper who knocked down a career-high 45.2 percent of his threes this season. He was most dangerous as a catch-and-shoot floor-spacer for the Bucks, as he connected on a whopping 46.3 percent of those shot attempts. His budding chemistry with Giannis Antetokounmpo was also apparent as they worked a two-man game that largely consisted of dribble handoffs at the top of the key (Antetokounmpo passed and assisted to Forbes more than anyone else on the team).

Forbes has a player option to make a decision on by July 28th that will earn him only $2.3 million next season. That’s a contract he far outplayed and will likely decline it in order to get more money in free agency.

July 29th

The 2021 NBA Draft. That’s right, just nine days after the Bucks beat the Phoenix Suns in Game 6, the draft is happening. Milwaukee holds the 31st overall pick following their mid-season trade to acquire P.J. Tucker from the Houston Rockets. There are some decent players that should be available if Milwaukee wants to add a rookie on a cheap deal. Otherwise, they could look to move this trade asset in a deal with another player.

August 1

The Bucks have to make a decision about whether to tender Thanasis Antetokounmpo to a one-year, $2.1 million qualifying offer. T. Antetokounmpo took off in his second year with the Bucks—at least, as much as he can take off—and was a great teammate and hype man from the bench. He mostly got into the game when the Bucks needed a boost of energy or a defensive stop near the end of a quarter. There are worse things the Bucks could do with their money so don’t be surprised to see them bring him back on a minimum deal.

This is also a date to watch when it comes to Bobby Portis. Similar to Forbes, the fan-favorite has a player option worth $3.8 million that he has to make a decision on by August 1. Portis outplayed that contract and could be in line for something close to $10 million on the open market. Portis has been on the record a few times stating he turned town much bigger money to reinvent his game and come to a place like Milwaukee last offseason. Will he do it again? I’d be very surprised. The Bucks don’t own his bird rights so the most they’d be able to offer him is their $5.9 million taxpayer midlevel exception.

August 2nd

The new NBA league year begins and so does free agency (at 5 pm CT). The Bucks will probably be one of the slowest moving teams in free agency so don’t expect much to go down in this category at any point in the summer.

August 8th-17th

Summer League is back and there will be a few interesting Bucks to watch including Jordan Nwora, Sam Merrill, Mamadi Diakite, and whoever they pick at 31st overall in the draft.

September 28th

Training camp begins for NBA teams. It doesn’t seem that far away—just two months—before basketball is almost back. The Bucks will do a lot of resting up during this period and head coach Mike Budenholzer will likely take it slow and easy with his returning veterans

Source: Forbes