Sometimes it’s the deals that don’t make a big splash at the time that make a huge difference in NBA free agency. Signing a good player to a below-market value deal can open up a lot of interesting doors later on.
The Milwaukee Bucks desperately need to open some doors, because past contract mistakes have slammed most of them shut. One loose doorknob leads to Ben McLemore, who the Sacramento Kings are electing to allow to become a free agent this summer by not tendering him a qualifying offer.
That doesn’t speak highly to McLemore, but the guys with lots of acclaim and reputation aren’t the ones the Bucks can afford this summer.