What To Expect From Taurean Prince in Milwaukee

Known for his defensive versatility and outside shot, Taurean Prince should be a great fit for a Milwaukee Bucks' team that struggled on the defensive end last season.

Cody Smith | Aug 29, 2024

Los Angeles Lakers forward Taurean Prince (12) drives to the basket against New Orleans Pelicans center Jonas Valanciunas (17) during the second half at Smoothie King Center. / Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports

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Milwaukee Bucks

MILWAUKEE — Led by the likes of Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard, the Milwaukee Bucks have once again put themselves in position to be one of the league's perennial NBA title contenders ahead of the 2024-25 season after its signings of Gary Trent Jr., Delon Wright and Taurean Prince this offseason.

As a team that was expected to make a deep postseason run during Lillard's first season in Milwaukee last year, the Bucks fell short of lofty expectations and were eliminated in the first-round at the hands of the Indiana Pacers. While its first-round defeat was in large part due to injuries to Antetokounmpo and Lillard, the Milwaukee Bucks displayed a glaring weakness all throughout last season — defense.

For context, for five seasons under then-head coach Mike Budenholzer, the Bucks were an elite defensive team. That all changed last season when they fired Budenholzer and hired Adrian Griffin, only to later fire him during the middle of the season before hiring current head coach Doc Rivers.

Outside of a slight dip during in 2022 when Brook Lopez missed most of the season with a back injury, the Bucks were the league’s best defense in 2018-19 and 2019-20, the ninth-best defense in 2020-21 and the league’s fourth-best in 2022-23, Budenholzer’s last in Milwaukee.

As a result of the Bucks losing their elite on-ball defenders, specifically Jrue Holiday in favor for trading for Damian Lillard, their defense suffered to the tune of finishing last year 19th in defensive rating.

Knowing its team defense was a glaring issue, the Bucks made it a point to improve its roster with quality defenders via free agency. Taurean Prince is one of those players who could be of real help this upcoming season.

Last season with the Los Angeles Lakers, Prince played in 78 games (starting in 49), averaging 8.9 points, 2.9 rebounds and 0.7 steals per game on 44.2 percent from the field and 39.6 percent from downtown.

Projected to come off the bench with the Bucks, the former Baylor Bear can be a solid two-way player as part of the second unit. Known for his defensive versatility being able to guard multiple positions while also providing floor space due to his three-point range (39.6% last season with the Los Angeles Lakers), Prince is a solid rotational piece to help improve the Bucks' team defense.

At 6-foot-6, Prince can play as many as four positions depending on which lineups the Bucks want to run. Throughout his time playing with the Atlanta Hawks, Brooklyn Nets, Cleveland Cavaliers, Los Angeles Lakers, and Minnesota Timberwolves, Prince has posted a career individual defensive rating of 112.6 over his eight-year career.

While his defensive rating (117.5) did take a dive with the Lakers last season, Prince has shown enough consistency to believe the Bucks can get the best out of him.

As a cheap wing playing on a one-year deal, the Bucks did about the best they could get in finding a versatile defender like Prince for very little risk and potential high rewards.

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