To say that the Milwaukee Bucks‘ offseason has been confusing thus far would be an understatement. From all the early offseason trade drama involving Giannis Antetokounmpo to the decision to buy out and stretch Damian Lillard, the Bucks have made some interesting decisions. But this hasn’t necessarily been to their benefit.
Antetokounmpo is undoubtedly one of the best players in the league. Having finished third in MVP voting while also being a top-10 DPOY candidate is nothing short of impressive. With the right amount of support, it is evident that the forward could lead a strong postseason campaign with Milwaukee.
But the Bucks have done very little to provide their superstar with the necessary support. In many ways, the team has gotten worse after parting ways with some of the players from last year’s roster.
When looking at the current team and its depth, Milwaukee doesn’t inspire much confidence as a title contender. Without Antetokounmpo, the Bucks don’t even resemble a Play-In team. This drastic drop-off in perceived competitiveness is nothing short of a warning sign.
Milwaukee Bucks Roster Depth
PG: Cole Anthony, Kevin Porter Jr.
SG: Gary Trent Jr., Ryan Rollins, Gary Harris, AJ Green
SF: Taurean Prince, Kyle Kuzma
PF: Giannis Antetokounmpo, Bobby Portis
C: Myles Turner, Jericho Sims
The Problems With The Bucks’ Current Roster
Since making their NBA championship run in 2021, the Milwaukee Bucks have made significant changes to their roster. With the departure of players like Jrue Holiday, Khris Middleton, and Brook Lopez, the Bucks became significantly less competitive.
Antetokounmpo’s greatness lies in his ability to impact the game individually. His averages of 30.4 points, 11.9 rebounds, and 6.5 assists per game from last season indicate his capability to do so. But there is an over-reliance on him to carry this side, which may prove to be too much, even for him.
In the point guard position, the Bucks created a massive vacancy by parting ways with Damian Lillard, something Antetokounmpo wasn’t too pleased with.
The Bucks were linked with several players who could add value to the team as playmakers, including 40-year-old veteran guard Chris Paul. Unfortunately, these efforts were for naught as Milwaukee ended up signing Cole Anthony, who was bought out by the Memphis Grizzlies.
Last season, Anthony averaged 9.4 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 2.9 assists per game. A notable drop-off in offensive contribution from Lillard. Meanwhile, Kevin Porter Jr. is expected to fill the backup point guard role, as he averaged 11.7 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 3.7 assists off the bench.
The shooting guard position sees some degree of improvement, with players such as Gary Trent Jr., Gary Harris, Ryan Rollins, and AJ Green. While all of these could be key role players in some capacity, especially with Trent Jr.’s ability to knock down three-pointers, neither meaningfully moves the needle.
The frontcourt presents a more positive outlook in comparison. With the pair of Taurean Prince and Kyle Kuzma filling out the small forward position, the Bucks feature two capable two-way wings.
While Prince’s defensive strengths may earn him the starting role, Kuzma offers greater scoring ability, having averaged 14.7 points and 5.8 rebounds per game last season.
The 29-year-old’s scoring ability will be extremely valued in the current Bucks system. But given his limitations, Kuzma may not be the second scoring option Milwaukee desperately needs.
The only other players capable of making meaningful contributions to the team’s success are Bobby Portis and Myles Turner.
Portis has consistently been one of Milwaukee’s most reliable players. His tenacity, rebounding, and floor spacing have all been factors that have dictated some degree of success for the team.
Meanwhile, Turner is one of the team’s newer additions. Having acquired Turner in free agency after parting ways with Lillard, the Bucks hoped to strengthen their rim protection.
While he is a very competent shot-blocking center, Turner isn’t necessarily an offensive threat. This could limit Milwaukee’s options unless they make some key tactical adjustments.
His averages of 15.6 points and 6.5 rebounds are marginally impressive, especially considering his 39.6% shooting from three-point range. Unfortunately, this may not be enough to take on the role of the secondary scoring option.
Given the current state of the Eastern Conference, the Bucks may still emerge as a solid Play-In team, potentially even securing a low seed in the playoffs. But in the worst-case scenario that Antetokounmpo gets injured, Milwaukee could spiral out of the Play-In picture and fall to the bottom of the East standings.
The Outlook For Milwaukee
The outlook for the Bucks is not positive at this stage. While each player on the roster is capable of fulfilling a role and bringing something to the table, it simply may not be enough to see the team succeed.
In light of this, Milwaukee is urged to make some significant moves to improve its roster, with a priority on acquiring a scorer to take over Lillard’s role. While some trade proposals have presented Anfernee Simons as a potential target, the Bucks could explore other options as well.
There have also been rumors linking players such as RJ Barrett with the Bucks. Although this may not solve their immediate concerns, Barrett’s addition could help in improving their roster strength.
The future with Antetokounmpo also seems fairly certain, with the president even shutting down any talk of trade rumors. But this could also be up for reconsideration depending upon the team’s performance.
