Getty Taurean Prince
The Milwaukee Bucks haven’t made any drastic changes to their roster but added some rotation pieces in Taurean Prince and Delon Wright. It may take more than that to win another title, but Bleacher Report’s Greg Swartz was a big fan of the Bucks adding Prince.
Swartz explained in a July 7 story why he sees the 2016 lottery pick as a “sneaky-good addition” for the Bucks. He explained Prince’s value specifically for the Bucks while adding his candid thoughts on Wright.
“Prince, 30, looked like he’d get more than the minimum on the open market after starting 49 games for the Los Angeles Lakers last season and shooting nearly 40 percent from three. … Prince is a 6’6″ forward who will serve as valuable insurance behind Khris Middleton, a player who’s missed 76 games due to injury the past two seasons.
“Between Prince and Delon Wright, the Bucks have made a pair of nice, affordable signings.”
He also noted why Prince fits well, knowing who the Bucks have lost and likely will lose in free agency:
“With Malik Beasley and Jae Crowder potentially leaving in free agency, the Bucks are desperate for warm bodies who are willing to play for the veteran minimum given that this team is $3.4 million over the second luxury tax apron.”
Beasley left for the Detroit Pistons, while Crowder remains a free agent. The Bucks signed Prince to a veteran’s minimum contract worth $2 million.
Taurean Prince Has Experience With Darvin Ham
Prince is not the only former Lakers personnel the Bucks have added this offseason. After the Lakers fired their head coach, Darvin Ham, the Bucks brought Ham back as an assistant coach under Doc Rivers. Ham previously worked under Mike Budenholzer on the Bucks from 2018 to 2022.
This may have played a role in how the Bucks added Prince. Ham coached Prince with the Lakers during the 2023-24 season. Their familiarity with one another likely factored into how the Bucks convinced Prince to sign with them. That could prove useful as the Bucks make their playoff push in 2025.
Prince will likely replace Crowder and Beasley as one of their primary backup wings. He is a career 37.6% shooter from 3-point land, which could prove crucial in the Bucks’ rotation.
Taurean Prince Will Play With 6 Teams in 9 Seasons
The Atlanta Hawks drafted Prince at No. 12 overall in the 2016 NBA draft. Though Prince has been a journeyman, as the Bucks will be his sixth team when he enters his ninth NBA season, he has proven himself a solid choice at No. 12.
Prince has plenty of experience overall, but not much in the playoffs. He has made the playoffs four times in his career but has never made it past the first round. In total, he has played 21 playoff games.
He’s not coming off the best playoff performance with the Lakers. In the five games he played in the first round, Prince shot 29.4% from three before the Denver Nuggets swept the Lakers. He doesn’t have big shoes to fill, knowing who he’s supposed to replace.
However, playing next to Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard may lead to him seeing the most wide-open 3-pointers he has ever seen.