One of the frustrations Lakers fans had with Darvin Ham last season was his reliance on Taurean Prince.
Despite the Lakers being outscored by 2.7 points per 100 possessions when Prince was on the floor, Ham continued to start him in 49 games and give him significant minutes. Ham is now headed back to Milwaukee as an assistant on Doc Rivers’ staff.
Prince is following him — the veteran forward has agreed to a contract with the Bucks, reports Shams Charania of The Athletic.
Milwaukee had a quiet offseason until now but has reached a couple of deals in the last 24 hours, including one with veteran wing Delon Wright, who spent last season in Miami.
Both of these deals are for the veteran minimum, as that is what Milwaukee can offer.
While Lakers fans may be laughing about Prince, this is actually a great signing for the Bucks. At the minimum and in a 20-minute-per-night role off the bench, Prince is a fantastic pickup.
Mikwaukee Bucks (Photo: Getty Images)
He averaged 8.9 points per game last season for the Lake
rs and shot 39.6% from 3-point range (one of the reasons Ham stuck with him, as Los Angeles needed the floor spacing).
Wright is also a solid addition. He is a reliable rotational combo guard who shot 36.8% from 3-point range last season and is known for his defensive skills, particularly his ability to deflect passes.
Where Wright fits in the rotation remains to be seen, but he could play crucial minutes in games against elite guards from other teams. His on-ball defense, combined with Giannis Antetokounmpo and Brook Lopez protecting the paint, could be effective.
Milwaukee hasn’t made any big splashes, but the hope is that the second year of the Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard partnership—under the guidance of an experienced coach from the start and with (hopefully) good health—can vault them back into the upper echelon of the East.
To achieve that, solid role players are necessary, and the combination of Prince and Wright can fulfill that role.
