With Giannis Antetokounmpo having an MVP-caliber year, the Bucks have emerged as the top team in a deep Eastern Conference with 21 games to play in the regular season – and Milwaukee isn’t waiting for a potential Warriors breakup to chase an NBA championship.
The Bucks were one of the league’s biggest winners at the NBA trade deadline in February, making smart deals to amass draft picks that they eventually cashed to land stretch forward Nikola Mirotic from New Orleans. Mirotic has only played four games for Milwaukee, but he’s shooting 44 percent from deep and providing a reliable offensive option off the bench.
On Friday, the Bucks are reportedly in line to add another veteran. ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reports that 38-year-old big man Pau Gasol will sign with the Bucks after agreeing to a buyout on his contract with the Spurs.
Gasol missed significant time this season after suffering a stress fracture in his left foot in November. In 27 games this year, Gasol is averaging 4.2 points and 4.7 rebounds per game in 12.2 minutes, all career lows.
Gasol clearly isn’t going to threaten starter Brook Lopez, but even if he only plays limited minutes in a reserve role, Gasol is a capable scorer and rebounder when healthy, and he brings championship experience and leadership to the locker room.
The Bucks still have to prove they can deliver in the playoffs, but it might be time to start thinking of them as mere contenders chasing the Warriors. ESPN’s BPI and Basketball Reference’s projections both favor the Bucks to win the NBA title this season over the Warriors. In our latest playoff predictor, the Bucks had an average chance of 31.5 percent to win the championship. If Gasol can be an impact player, that number is bound to rise in the coming weeks.
