The Best Bucks Contracts of the Decade: Mike Dunleavy Jr. Gets Number 7

Funny how life works sometimes. When this list first came out, I figured there was no way Mike Dunleavy could be on here. The man who draws the ire of r/mkebucks on Reddit, has been more of a villain than a “good contract” among the fanbase in the past decade. All of that stems from his very punchable face, him riding his dad’s coattails, and his very dirty tactics which Bucks fans saw in the 2015 series against the Chicago Bulls.

After signing a 2 year/$7.5million deal, Dunleavy came in with a known pedigree as a sharpshooter that can come off the bench and provide a veteran presence. He proved that to be true by shooting 39% from deep in the 2011/12 season and then 42% the following season. He showed a solid IQ by generally making the good play with his passing and ball handling, generally serving as the antithesis to Brandon Jennings and Monta Ellis.

A player like Dunleavy is needed on every team as the guy who hits shots, is annoying on defense, and knows his role and sticks to it. In his two years in Milwaukee, he played 130 games but only started in six of them. The wing spots were very competitive as established vets like Stephen Jackson, Marquis Daniels, and Carlos Delfino were grouped with young players: Tobias Harris, Luc Mbah A Moute and Doron Lamb. It’s not surprising Dunleavy seemed to be a poster child of then head coach Scott Skiles. He would end up earning a larger contract for his play, joining the Chicago Bulls for a 3 year $14.4 million contract after his stint with the Bucks. He also seemed to bring out an aggressive side of Giannis, and we can be thankful for that.

From The Archives

Steve Von Horn thought the move could work with some risk.

Initial reports suggest that Dunleavy’s salary will constitute a portion of Milwaukee’s mid-level exception, though the Bucks do have a bit of cap space to work with. It’s also worth noting that Dunleavy’s signing should have no effect on the Bucks’ financial ability to resign Luc Mbah a Moute, since the club holds early Bird rights and can go over the salary cap to keep him. However, adding another player to an already crowded roster does call into question the status of some of Milwaukee more tenuous player contracts.

Brew Hoop Best Contract of the Last Decade Ranking

8. Zaza Pachulia (2013; 3-year, $15.6M)

7. Mike Dunleavy Jr. (2011; 2-year, $7.5M)

This poll will close at 8 am CST on Tuesday, June 16.