The Milwaukee Bucks made their first significant decision this offseason when they hired Adrian Griffin as the 17th head coach in franchise history, taking over for the previously fired Mike Budenholzer. Now, the work is just beginning.

Thanks to the new CBA, this offseason will be incredibly difficult for the Bucks to do anything besides retain their rotation from last season’s team. A major shakeup will require gutsy trades and unforeseen moves. The most realistic path forward is to maintain the status quo.

Even then, there’s an order of operations the Bucks will likely follow. They already answered the question about their head coach position, and they’ll likely continue down the line by first addressing the top of their roster. Let’s check out the likely order of decisions they’ll make this offseason.

It was a good sign Khris Middleton was invited to the dinner with the head coaching candidates last week. He has a $40.4 million player option which he must make a decision on by June 21st. That gives him about three weeks to work with.

I wouldn’t be surprised to see him decline, take his free agent status into the start of unrestricted free agency and eventually re-sign with the Bucks. That’s the only way he could sign for anything less than his player option for 2023-24. I doubt he’ll want to play his age 32 season, coming off significant injuries, on a one-year deal. He’ll search for a multi-year contract one way or the other. This is where the decisions begin for the Bucks.

Jevon Carter squeezes in here due to the timing of his player option, which comes due by June 29th. It’s worth a measly $2.2 million in 2023-24, leading me to believe he’ll decline it in search of a bigger payday. Milwaukee will have the ability to offer him more than that if they so desire, but every penny will count extra toward the luxury tax.

After Milwaukee figures out what they’re doing with Middleton, Brook Lopez is the second most prominent name on their offseason list. The big man was a key cog on both ends of the floor and is the only true, quality center they have on the roster.

The First-Team All-Defender could sign an extension before June 30th for up to three years and $54.1 million. I expect him to get somewhere in the neighborhood of $16 million a year for two-to-three years.

AJ Green isn’t a priority free agent this offseason, like Middleton and Lopez are, but Milwaukee must make a qualifying offer worth $1.77 million by June 29th. Green played well enough on a two-way deal last year to earn another look. Whether that will be by the Bucks or someone else is to be determined.

After Lopez and Middleton’s futures are determined, Milwaukee will have to look long and hard at Jae Crowder and Joe Ingles. The former talked openly about not knowing his place in Milwaukee following their first-round playoff exit. However, Budenholzer’s firing may change his heart. He struggled with the Bucks, but the only tool Milwaukee will have to sign outside free agents this offseason is veteran minimum contracts, and Crowder is better than anyone they could bring in on that deal.

As for Ingles, he was limited in the postseason, but was a great addition to the second unit. He’s creative with the rock in his hands and developed a great rapport with Lopez. His relationship with Middleton could also lead to his return.

After they settle things with two of their core four and two role players, Milwaukee will look to the plethora of other free agents on their roster. This list includes Wesley Matthews, Goran Dragic, Meyers Leonard, and Thanasis Antetokounmpo. If Matthews plays again next season, he’s a no-brainer to bring back. It’s whatever for everyone else.

If we work under the assumption that the Bucks bring back Middleton, Lopez, Carter, Crowder, and Ingles, that would give them 11 players under contract for 2023-24. They’d need to sign at least two-to-three more (depending on what they do with their 58th overall pick in the draft).

Due to the new CBA, they won’t have the typical taxpayer mid-level exception to use this summer. That’s a big blow that will force them to rely solely on veteran minimum contracts. They’ll certainly need to target a center and a point guard with those contracts. Another wing could be in the cards as well.