Join the Bucks! 25-year-old Cole Anthony, what level is?

The Bucks, there is another operation.

The latest report from famous reporter Shams, Cole Anthony reached a buyout agreement with the Memphis Grizzlies, and after passing the clarification period, he plans to join the Milwaukee Bucks.

The first reaction when I saw this news: Why is it the Bucks again?

Let's talk about Cole Anthony first. In Bain's big deal, he was sent to the Grizzlies by the Magic. We have introduced this deal at the time. The Magic accurately strengthened the backcourt and sent out four rounds, and could also get a quasi-All-Star Bain with a projection.

Kor Anthony's role in this deal is more about balance and magic cleaning premium contracts (one he and one Pope, both are premium, so they only took the four rounds). Before buying out, Cole Anthony has two years left for the contract, and his annual salary is 13.1 million.

13.1 million Cole Anthony has a premium, but the basic salary (the Bucks can only give up to 3.65 million at most) is different.

First look at the data of Cole Anthony in the past three years:

—2022-23 season, averaging 25.9 minutes per game, scoring 13.0 points, 4.8 rebounds, 3.9 assists,

—2023-24 season, averaging 22.4 minutes per game, scoring 11.6 points, 3.8 rebounds, 2.9 assists,

—2024-25 season, averaging 18.4 minutes per game, scoring 9.4 points, 3.0 rebounds, 2.9 assists,

Cole Anthony became famous in high school, played in North Carolina in college, and was selected with the 15th pick in the first round of 2020. He also served as the team's starter in the first two years, but he started to be substitute since the third year, and it can be clearly seen that his playing time and scores in the past three years have gradually decreased.

This situation occurs because the Magic chose Anthony Black, and Pope joined again last season. The competition for the backcourt position is more intense than before. On the other hand, it is also related to Cole Anthony's style.

He is a double-athlei guard who is 1.91 meters tall. He prefers offense than passing and has certain offensive development capabilities. However, his scoring efficiency is average. His real shooting percentages in the past three years were 57.0%, 54.5%, and 53.1%, respectively. His defense is not good, but his movements are not small.

Like all small guards who are not tall and talented but are good at attacking, Cole Anthony is also very unstable. He can be very iron when he is iron, but he can also help the team when he is accurate.

For example, in this playoff against the Hawks, Cole Anthony only played 20 minutes, shot 10 of 17 shots, 4 of 9 three-pointers, scored 26 points, 3 rebounds and 6 assists, plus or negative values +32, and even beat Ben Kairo, helping the Magic to advance to the playoffs.

Players like Cole Anthony, to be honest, have many leagues, and the most suitable position for him is also very obvious, which is the substitute scorer. For the Grizzlies, because there are many defenders and the team needs to renew Jeran Jr., he has no position at all, but if you join the Bucks, the effect may be different.

After buying out Lillard, the Bucks urgently needed offensive development in the backcourt. After Cole Anthony joined, they could start with Porter Jr. or play the sixth man to score points. The point is that at the age of 25, Cole Anthony, who is in his year of playing, the Bucks actually signed with only one basic salary, which is definitely a profit.

At this point, let's summarize the operations of the Bucks this year's offseason. There have been 11 transactions so far:

1, 4 years and 4 years and 407 million sign Turner

2, 5 years and 7.5 million

3, Connaughton + 2 rounds of trade, and then reached a buyout, the latter gave up 6.1 million

4, 3 years and 44 million

5, 2 years and 7.5 million

6, 2 years and 2 years 11 million contract renewal Kevin Porter Jr.

7, 2 years, 7.1 million contract renewal Prince

8, 3 years, 12 million contract renewal Rollins

9, 2 years, 2 years, 2 years, 2 years, 2 years, 2 years, 2 years, 2 years, 2 years, 2 years, 2 years, 2 years, 2 years, 2 years, 2 years, 2 years, 2 years, 2 years, 2 years, 2 years, 2 years, 2 years, 2 years, 2 months, 2 months, 2 months, 2 months, 2 months, 2 months, 2 months, 2 months, 2 months, 2 months, 2 months, 2 months, 2 months, 2 months, 2 months, 2 months, 2 months, 2 months, 2 months, 2 months, 2 months, 2 months, 2 months, 2 months, 2 months, 2 months, 2 months, 2 months, 2 months, 2 months, 2 months, 2 months, 2 months, 2 months, 2 months, 2 months, 2 months, 2 months, 2 months, 2 months, 2 months, 2 months, 2 months, 2 months, 2 months, 2 months, 2 months, 2 months, 2 months, 2 months, 2 months, 2 months, 2 months, 2 months, 2 months, 2 months, 2 months, 2 months, 2 months, 2 months, 2 months, 2 years, 2 years, 2 years, 2 years, 2 years, 2 years, 2 years, 2 years, 2 years, 2 years, 2 years, 2 years, 2 years, 2 years, 2 years, 2 years, 2 years, 2 years, 2 years, 2 years, 2 years, 2 years, 2 years, 2 years, 2 years, 2 years, 2 years

Objectively speaking, the Bucks' combat power will inevitably decline without an all-star defender like Lillard, but the remedy of the Bucks' management is already very good, especially with several contract renewals. The renewals of Trent, Portis, Kevin Porter Jr. and Prince are all great value, and they are so great that they make people feel that there is a yin and yang contract under the investigation of the NBA.

Pure personal opinion, although with Turner, Cole Anthony + Gary Harris were signed, but because of the lack of Big Lopez + Lillard, the Bucks' strength next season is still not as good as last season.

But one thing is crucial, next year's East may be the weakest East in the past few years, with Tatum and Halliburton injured, and the Celtics and Pacers falling more severely than the Bucks.

And the Bucks have at least the number one man in the Eastern Conference Antetokounmpo, so it should be fine to enter the playoffs. It's just that it's difficult to break out of the Eastern Conference, and it's better than the Cavaliers, Knicks, Magic, Pistons, 76ers (Health), and Hawks (Health).

and, the Bucks have almost only one fundamental purpose of so many operations: to leave Antetokounmpo.

Without draft picks and Lillard was suddenly injured, the Bucks management has done a good job, but objectively speaking, because they still do not have the ability to compete for the championship, it is not impossible for Antetokounmpo to insist on leaving, it depends on what Antetokounmpo thinks.