The Milwaukee Bucks‘ offseason woes continued as undrafted Lithuanian point guard Augustas Marciulionis opted to join the Los Angeles Lakers, underscoring the challenges small-market teams face in attracting top talent.
The 6-foot-4 guard, son of former NBA standout Sarunas Marciulionis, signed a non-guaranteed training camp deal after recovering from a broken foot that hurt his stock ahead of the 2025 NBA Draft.
“The attention was similar from both teams,” Marciulionis told BasketNews. “But in Los Angeles, there were more people my agent and I knew and trusted. We understood the situation better there. For some reason, LA just felt like the right choice. Still, it wasn’t easy because I don’t know that much about the NBA environment yet. But we thought this was the best place for me.”
Getty West Coast Conference Commissioner Stu Jackson (L) presents Augustas Marciulionis of the Saint Mary’s Gaels his most outstanding player trophy after the championship game against the Gonzaga Bulldogs.
A two-time West Coast Conference Player of the Year, Marciulionis averaged 14.2 points and 5.9 assists for Saint Mary’s last season. He now faces an uphill battle for a roster spot on a Lakers backcourt featuring Luka Dončić, Austin Reaves, Marcus Smart, Gabe Vincent, and rapidly progressing Bronny James.
Bucks Miss Out on Top Free Agents
Marciulionis is the latest high-profile player to bypass Milwaukee this offseason. The Bucks previously came up short in their pursuit of Marcus Smart, who reached a buyout with the rebuilding Washington Wizards to join the Lakers.
ESPN senior NBA insider Shams Charania previously reported that Milwaukee was one of three teams pursuing Smart, along with Los Angeles and the Phoenix Suns.
“The Lakers, Phoenix Suns and Milwaukee Bucks all seriously pursued Smart, with positive conversations with personnel from all three teams after he and his agent Jason Glushon received permission to explore options from the Wizards, sources said,” Charania wrote on X.
The allure of joining Doncic in Los Angeles proved decisive for Smart, a former NBA Defensive Player of the Year. This marks the second marquee free agent the Bucks have lost this summer after Bradley Beal chose the Los Angeles Clippers, reportedly after direct recruitment from star James Harden.
Veteran Depth Added, But Key Questions Remain
Milwaukee did manage to add some veteran depth, signing two-way wing Amir Coffey to a training camp deal. The 28-year-old, who spent his first six NBA seasons with the Clippers after going undrafted in 2019, averaged a career-best 9.7 points last season while shooting 47.1% from the field and 40.9% from three-point range.
Coffey faces a crowded wing rotation that already includes Gary Trent Jr., Kyle Kuzma, Taurean Price, Garry Harris, and AJ Green. While his signing provides depth, Milwaukee’s repeated free agent misses highlight the uphill climb the Bucks face in assembling a championship-caliber roster without the lure of a large-market team.
The setbacks also intensify questions about Giannis Antetokounmpo’s future in Milwaukee. Charania reported that, as of early August, nothing has been finalized regarding the superstar forward’s plans.
“He’s going to continue to evaluate his future,” Charania said on ESPN’s “Get Up” on Aug. 4. “The constant question Giannis has is, ‘Can I win a championship with this roster? Is this roster going to be one for this upcoming year and 2026-2027?’ He wants to win a second championship.”
With free-agent targets slipping through their fingers and the clock ticking on roster construction, the Bucks face a critical summer in determining whether they can surround Antetokounmpo with the pieces necessary to contend again.
Like Heavy Sports’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
The post Top Lithuanian Guard Turns Down Bucks Offer appeared first on Heavy Sports.