• The Bucks acquired Damian Lillard in a three-team deal that saw them lose Jrue Holiday and Grayson Allen
• The Bucks starting lineup will look very different next season
• Will the pieces fit together to form a bonafide contender?
The Milwaukee Bucks found the magic trade to ensure they keep their superstar happy, as they swung for Damian Lillard and got him. While they parted with Jrue Holiday, Grayson Allen, two first-round pick swaps, and one unprotected pick, they have given their team a legitimate chance to compete once again after a humiliating first-round exit in the 2023 Playoffs.
The Lillard trade saga has gone on for months but has ended with Lillard teaming up with Giannis Antetokounmpo, a player Lillard said would be his ideal championship teammate. Giannis also has shown an affinity towards Dame in the past, so this trade may help the Bucks push for another title.
But with Holiday and Allen gone, what will their starting lineup look like?
PG: Damian Lillard
SG: Pat Connaughton
SF: Khris Middleton
PF: Giannis Antetokounmpo
C: Brook Lopez
This starting five has a pretty incredible balance of offense and defense. While the Bucks will struggle to be one of the league’s best defenses with Lillard instead of Holiday, they will be a much better offensive team.
The Bucks had a 115.4 offensive rating that stands to improve this season, with Lillard supercharging the offense. He averaged 32.2 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 7.3 assists last season.
What Will The Bucks Roster Look Like?
This Bucks lineup can have a lot of variations throughout the season, but this is probably the skeleton they should start with. Four of the starting spots will likely be locked in, as the Bucks will not bench Lillard, Giannis, Middleton, or Brook Lopez, given they’re the best players on the roster in their position.
There is a spot available for Lillard’s backcourt partner. Malik Beasley and Pat Connaughton will compete for it, but Connaughton might give the backcourt more balance if he starts alongside Lillard. He averaged an unimpressive 7.6 points and 4.6 rebounds last season but is a good athlete who can provide serviceable 3-and-D play. Beasley may be a better shooter but is coming off a tough year where he averaged 35.7% from three on 8.5 attempts per game.
MarJon Beauchamp can hope to get a look into the rotation, but starting may be a bridge too far for the 22-year-old who averaged 5.1 points and 2.2 rebounds last season. The Bucks will hope he has a breakout season where he can establish a spot in the rotation, given the lack of depth at the end of the roster.
Middleton may be given multi-positional responsibilities, sliding over to the backcourt alongside Lillard if need be. His injury history does concern me, and the Bucks would be better off not having Middleton be the primary guard-stopper. Sharing those responsibilities with Pat will be the best.
Backups for every position are yet to be ironed out. Bobby Portis will most definitely be Lopez’s backup and will contend for Sixth Man of the Year, a trophy he’s come close to winning before. Portis’s offensive versatility and defensive hustle make him a dependable option and complementary to Giannis.
With Jae Crowder as Giannis’ backup and a rotating cast of players for shooting guard and small forward, all the Bucks need to do is sign a point guard to be Lillard’s backup. The perfect player for this sits in free agency right now, as Cam Payne is yet to find a home, with John Wall also being available.
Are The Bucks Favorite To Win The 2024 NBA Championship?
This roster is rightfully being considered a championship contender. The Bucks were a convincing No. 1 seed but fell apart in the playoffs due to unlucky health and being incapable of producing offense against a very tough Heat team.
With Lillard, they have a bonafide bucket that can be relied upon as the No. 1 scoring option in crunch time. Holiday struggled in that role, and Middleton wasn’t healthy enough last season to be trusted with that responsibility. Now, if there’s a situation where a made bucket is needed, Lillard is the guy the Bucks can rely on.
Given the strength of this team with Giannis alone guarantees them a top seed, it’s not far-fetched to say the Bucks are now the favorites to win the title. Lillard’s offense is other-worldly, and he will now team up with one of the best paint-presences in the league. Their pick-and-roll will be lethal, and teams across the NBA are praying they fall apart because beating them on roster strength may not be possible.
We sincerely appreciate and respect you as a reader of our site. It would help us a lot if you follow us on Google News because of the latest update.
Thanks for following us. We really appreciate your support.
