The Milwaukee Bucks have exhausted their resources trying to compete in the East. While they’ll always have the 2021 NBA Championship to show for it, the team has spent more resources trying to keep the ship afloat, primarily the Damian Lillard trade last season. The team has an aging core and limited flexibility, but the front office has made shrewd additions this summer.
Veterans such as Lillard’s old Trail Blazers teammate Gary Trent Jr. and new assistant coach Darvin Ham’s trusted Taurean Prince joined the team this summer. With an intriguing but raw young core behind the veterans, the Bucks will have multiple lineup options for head coach Doc Rivers to use. But what would be some of the contenders? Let’s take a look.
Starting Lineup No. 1: Traditional Lineup
Damian Lillard, Gary Trent Jr., Khris Middleton, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Brook Lopez
The best starting five the Bucks can put together will feature Lillard in the backcourt alongside new acquisition Gary Trent Jr. Trent averaged 13.7 points and 1.1 steals last season, shooting 39.3% from three on 6.4 attempts per game. He is a solid 3-and-D swingman who will fit nicely within the lineup and is a major defensive upgrade on Malik Beasley who occupied this role last season. The frontcourt will be filled out with a familiar core of Khris Middleton, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Brook Lopez.
Middleton will come into next season after going through yet another offseason surgery, going under the knife to repair both his ankles. His production will be a major question mark next season, along with Brook Lopez who showed signs of regression last season after coming second in the DPOY race in 2022-23. While Lopez has a backup who’ll play heavy minutes in Bobby Portis Jr., the Bucks will need Middleton’s production to be competitive with a lack of options outside the defense-oriented Prince behind him.Â
Giannis had an incredible season last year, averaging 30.4 points, 11.5 rebounds, and 6.5 assists on 61.1% from the field. His offensive efficiency was unparalleled, but the Bucks had a sub-.500 record after the new year and it affected the MVP battles he was in against the stars in the West. It’ll be interesting to see if he can repeat that level of play because that alone gives the Bucks a top-four baseline in the East, especially with a talent-rich starting five like this if everyone’s healthy.
Starting Lineup No. 2: Defensive Lineup
Damian Lillard, Delon Wright, Khris Middleton, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Brook Lopez
One of the most interesting pickups of the summer was the Bucks signing Delon Wright on a minimum contract. While Wright doesn’t pop off the page statistically, averaging 4.5 points, 1.8 rebounds, and 2.5 assists last season with the Wizards and Heat, he is an upgrade on the defense that Patrick Beverley provided. Given Beverley started alongside Lillard to add defense to the lineup, Wright could fill that role and produce at a higher level given his skills as an on-ball defender. He’s a reliable low-volume 3-point shooter (36.8% on 1.4 3PA last season).
The Bucks don’t have many realistic starters off their bench, especially among their guards. Rivers has a propensity to trust veterans more in win-now situations, so it’s hard to say if Mar’Jon Beauchamp, AJ Green, Andre Jackson, Chris Livingston, or anyone else would be starting unless injuries affected the team. They’ll definitely be in contention for spots over the season if they make the most of limited opportunities that come through rotations, but they can’t be penciled in as starters right now.
Pat Connaughton could be an option instead, but there is a large enough sample size that shows he’s not the best two-guard for the Bucks. His contract is the most movable asset on the team, so he may get minutes to furnish his trade value, but the Bucks need to look at other avenues if they want to succeed. The signing of Wright gives them exactly that, as his defense could be helpful for Lillard in the backcourt if Trent Jr. needs to come off the bench to add more offensive versatility to the second unit. Trent alongside Portis and Prince in the second unit could help the Bucks avoid the offensive troughs they’ve endured in non-starter minutes over recent seasons.
Starting Lineup No. 3: Alternative Lineup
Damian Lillard, Khris Middleton, Taurean Prince, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Bobby Portis Jr.
The lack of starter depth on the team makes it hard to come up with another lineup, so the only option is to see what Bobby Portis Jr. could do as a starter over Lopez if the 38-year-old is struggling. Portis has excelled as a bench scorer over his tenure with the Bucks and is comfortable in that role, but he could be called upon to start and would need a similarly complementary lineup next to him.Â
Giannis’ defensive responsibilities would be increased, especially if he has to fill in as the rim protector. This opens up a starting spot for Taurean Prince as a forward. While he frustrated Lakers fans with his limited offense, his averages of 8.9 points and 2.9 rebounds on 39.6% from three show his usability as a fifth-option on offense in a lineup like this. He’s a solid defender and will be doing the grunt work for this lineup while also being the primary POA defender who’ll likely try to funnel players toward Giannis.
Middleton in the backcourt is a risk due to his defensive regression and possible injury risk, but if the Bucks need a beefy lineup to accommodate any defensive shortcomings from Lillard, Middleton could start as the two-guard. This would also be their best five-out lineup to feature Giannis as an inside threat, creating open opportunities on the perimeter. The mobility of this lineup in a fastbreak might leave them defensively vulnerable, but that will be a problem even if Lopez is starting.
Which Lineup Should The Bucks Use?
The traditional lineup is the easiest answer. It provides them with all the ingredients of a competitive starting five. There are three major offensive weapons in Giannis, Lillard, and Middleton alongside two complementary two-way players.Â
Trent Jr. is a fantastic shooter and had shown flashes of excellent defense up until two seasons ago, so the Bucks will rely on him to spend more effort on that end and earn a valuable contract next season after playing a major role as a starter on a championship contender. Lopez will have questions about his regression, especially with his mobility and stamina on the court. But when he’s available, there are few genuine 3-and-D centers like him. His rim protection unlocks Giannis as a help defender, with the Greek arguably being at his best in that role.
Portis is far too proven as a sixth man on the Bucks for the team to change it now by rotating him with Lopez to protect the older center. His offensive versatility at his size is best utilized off the bench, especially with defense-oriented rotation players such as Wright and Prince, along with the likes of Beauchamp if he gets an expanded opportunity this season.Â
Injuries would be the biggest concern for a lineup as old as the Bucks, but they hope their arsenal of aforementioned young players alongside rookies AJ Johnson, Tyler Smith, and Anzejs Pasecniks can step up and take the load off when required.
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