Discussing whether Doc Rivers’ Milwaukee Bucks have the capacity to be able to contend for a championship is worthy of the conversation amongst the mix with the likes of the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference and the emergence of Oklahoma City Thunder in the Western Conference.
Heading into the new season, coach Doc Rivers looks to send his Bucks team to his 20th playoff run, with full reliance on the new additions to the squad as they look to make the most of the added squad depth this season.
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The Dynamic Duo
With two of the most experienced players in Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard part of the core, many believe that the experiment from last season should come into fruition this season.
Antetokounmpo averaged 30 points in 35 minutes last season with a very respectable 61% field goal percentage, Lillard averaged 24 points and 7 assists per game in 35 minutes.
Considering the injuries suffered for Lillard in the regular season and Antetokounmpo in the postseason, the Bucks faithful are hoping for a healthy core more than anything else.
Having their health as the main focal point to be able to contend for a chip should see the team’s development in coordination including with key role players. The duo lacked the dynamism many across the league were expecting, a typical pick and roll play at times felt lack-lustre.
Lillard admitted to poor numbers in the regular season, reaching 35% from three in spot-up shooting with Giannis growing his effectiveness in finishing in the paint. All this considered, the energy thrived from big buckets by the main two managed to be fed onto key role players such as Malik Beasley and Bobby Portis.
The real question remains the length and longevity of the duo to compete at the highest level, especially barring the fact that Milwaukee do not have future draft assets to attain and look to build around, the team’s dynamic duo need to make sure they bounce back ahead of the new season.
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Open Offseason
The Bucks are ranked as one of the highest top teams in terms of player salaries, leading to them being incredibly expensive and having some slight difficulties to operate the whole team.
Currently, they rank in the top four of the highest paid rosters in the league.
Keeping the team in contention saw the Bucks having to make sacrifices, allowing themselves to be open to welcome experience into their team.
Offloading Malik Beasley left fans questioning the decision making of the staff, with Beasley being a key asset with his consistent jumper and knocking down shots from the trifecta.
The USA international is part of the illustrious 5,000-point club after an impressive display from the perimeter in a tight meeting with the Cleveland Cavaliers, his slick shooting touch saw the Bucks change form with their shooting from three, thanks to Beasley’s offensive threat.
With Beasley on the move, Milwaukee had to look for a similar profile and with that acquired Gary Trent Jr, a great role player and mega perimeter shooter, averaging just under 40% for the Toronto Raptors last season.
An asset added to Rivers’ team which looks to add depth to the roster and looking to be a threat from the bench deep into the season. Milwaukee lacked depth on the wing and needed a spot-up shooter from the wing that guaranteed buckets when given minutes and with Trent Jr’s trajectory in stats every season, could be a pivotal part of the system.
Forwards Jae Crowder and Thanasis Antetokounmpo leaving the organisation at the end of the season, staying with the Bucks for a combined 7 seasons, only allowed more cap space to look for more depth at the forward position with the Bucks acquiring Taurean Prince from the Los Angeles Lakers.
The American international put up some promising numbers for the Lakers last season, with some periods of the regular season where his shooting from outside was uncontainable.
Prince’s three point shooting percentage last season was just under 40%, with an average of 8.9 points.
A player known for his versatility and his know-how on the court to play and defend several positions, adding Prince to the roster looks like a good move in the books for the Bucks, considering the necessity for more effectiveness from the three in the system.
With Patrick Beverley jetting off to Europe, the backcourt seemed slim for the Bucks, however alongside the deal for Trent Jr, the addition of Delon Wright from the Miami Heat adds to their offensive threat with Wright’s tenacity and pressure on the ball key elements of his game as the Bucks look to implement a different mentality towards their basketball.
Picking up Wright could be vital for rotation at both guard positions for having an impact from the bench in close quarter situations.
Stalwarts Brook Lopez and Bobby Portis remain to be key parts of the roster, with Lopez’s versatility in the center position unmatched and with Portis’ tenacity and rugged athleticism proved to be a game changer in key matchups during the regular season.
Lopez put up a respectable field goal percentage with just under 50%, with 12.5 points per game, Portis managed to be a big presence on the rebounds with the minutes he played, an average of 7.4 rebounds in 24 minutes.
The Bucks headed to the NBA Draft securing picks from the 1st and 2nd round as they acquired AJ Johnson and Tyler Smith.
AJ Johnson, standing (6 ft 4) at 19, already had experience in the professional game with playing time in the NBL with the Illawarra Hawks. Johnson’s athletic build and lengthy frame adds to his game as a shifty point guard who can shoot the ball and play optimal levels of perimeter defence. A player with promise who has bags of potential and could be a key piece to be at the helm of a possible youth rebuild for the Bucks, considering the ages of some of the players, averaging over 30 years old.
The other pick was Tyler Smith, coming out of the G-League Ignite side, standing at 6ft 11 and athleticism blowing out of his skin, the New Orleans player has proven to have a keen eye for providing for his teammates. An attribute that proves to be a pivotal part of his game is his versatility across the frontcourt positions and the impact he has on the court whichever role he plays in.
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Looking to the Future
After an incredibly disappointing run in the playoffs, the Bucks look to do much better than their first round exit against Rick Carlisle’s Indiana Pacers last season.
The 2024-2025 season will start off as a blank sheet for Doc Rivers, as he joined mid way through last season following the departure of Adrian Griffin from the head coach role.
He has the pieces to assemble a solid starting five and a prolific bench from the acquisitions made in the summer.
Key moves such as Prince at the small forward position and to allow for rotation with Khris Middleton could prove important down the line, alongside wing Gary Trent Jr, adding depth in shooting and increasing percentages from the three point line.
Delon Wright and AJ Johnson will be vital in the perimeter defence of the backcourt and adds fresh legs to the aging group of guards.
The Bucks do have what it takes to contend for a championship amongst the other sides growing but they have to find that winning mentality that took them all the way to success back in 2021 to rekindle their fire for a possible third championship.
