How what-ifs are defining the Bucks since 2021

The post-championship years for the Bucks have not gone how anyone would have hoped. A well-fought second-round loss in 2022 has been followed by two first-round exits, one of which was at the hands of the eighth-seated Miami Heat. With Damian Lillard’s availability completely up in the air, a fourth early exit unfortunately seems to be in the cards this season. The most frustrating part about the years of wasted potential is that there are some clear what-ifs to point to as causes— events and trends that could have completely altered the trajectory and perception of the team had they gone differently. Let’s talk about a few of the biggest what-ifs of this Bucks era, some of which are directly influenced by the organization’s decisions, and figure out what we can take away from them.

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