The Milwaukee Bucks struck out again on a marquee free agent after former NBA Defensive Player Marcus Smart spurned them and joined the Los Angeles Lakers.
According to ESPN’s senior NBA insider Shams Charania, the Bucks were one of the three teams that pursued Smart.
“The Lakers, Phoenix Suns and Milwaukee Bucks all seriously pursued Smart, with positive conversations with personnel from all three teams after he and his agent Jason Glushon received permission to explore options from the Wizards, sources said,” Charania reported on X.
But the pull of Luka Doncic, who led the Lakers’ recruiting efforts, was too strong for Smart, who reached a buyout with the rebuilding Washington Wizards to play for a contender.
Smart is the second marquee free agent who slipped through the Bucks’ hands after Bradley Beal, who opted to join the Los Angeles Clippers. They also lost Beal in a similar manner, with Clippers star James Harden directly recruiting Beal, according to Charania.
While the Bucks missed out on Smart, they may have dodged a bullet.
Getty Injury-prone former NBA Defensive Player of the Year Marcus Smart spurns the Milwaukee Bucks for Los Angeles Lakers.
Smart has been a shell of himself since he left the Boston Celtics in 2023 as part of the three-team trade for Kristaps Porzingis.
The 31-year-old guard has struggled to stay on the court due to injuries, playing only 20 games in his first season with the Memphis Grizzlies. They cut the bait when they salary-dumped him to the Washington Wizards at the trade deadline.
Smart would only see action for 15 games, averaging 9.3 points, 22.5 assists and 1.1 steals in 18.7 minutes off the bench.
Bucks Re-Sign NBA Summer League Star
After missing out on Beal, the Bucks pivoted by re-signing their promising 21-year-old wing Chris Livingston to a one-year deal.
According to ESPN’s senior NBA insider Shams Charania, Livingston’s deal is worth $2.3 million.
The former Kentucky forward was the Bucks’ second-round pick (58th overall) in 2023. For the past two seasons, Livingston has hardly played, appearing in only 42 games, and averaged 1.3 points, 1.3 rebounds while shooting 40.8% from the field.
But Livingston has shown tremendous promise in this year’s NBA Summer League in Las Vegas. The 6-foot-6 wing is averaging 20 points, 5.3 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game while shooting 49.2% from the field and 38.1% from the 3-point line.
Livingston’s return adds depth to the Bucks wing behind Kyle Kuzma, Taurean Prince and Gary Trent Jr.
Bucks Confident Giannis Won’t Leave Milwaukee
Despite missing out on marquee free agents, the Bucks’ top officials are confident that their superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo will not request a trade anytime soon.
“We kind of laugh internally. It’s where we’ve been for ten years,” Bucks president Peter Feigin said on an NBATV Summer League broadcast. “Giannis loves Milwaukee, Milwaukee loves Giannis. We’re in a good place. We feel great about it. It’s business as usual.”
The Bucks creatively landed the top free agent center in the market.
After Brook Lopez left in free agency, they replaced the 37-year-old center with a much younger big man by stealing Myles Turner from their bitter rivals Indiana Pacers.
They stunningly waived Damian Lillard and stretched the remaining $113 million on his contract, which will hit their cap room with $22.5 million in dead money for each of the next five seasons, to be able to sign Turner.
Giannis Watches As Bucks Miss Again in Free Agency