The Bucks’ preseason opener comes with a built-in stress test for rookie guard Brayden Burries, and it starts immediately against a Minnesota Timberwolves team that has also reshaped itself over the summer.
Milwaukee opens against LaMelo Ball and Anthony Edwards, a backcourt that gives Burries a tough assignment on both ends. Defensively, he’ll have to hold up against two elite guards.
On the other side of the floor, getting Edwards off balance is a different level of challenge from anything he has seen in his basketball career so far. With both teams rolling out new-look rosters, there should be plenty of attention on this matchup.
Minnesota’s makeover has been significant too. The Timberwolves have moved on from Julius Randle and Naz Reid, then added Ball to team with Edwards in the backcourt. That adds even more intrigue to a first preseason game that already carries a lot of curiosity.
Burries arrives with momentum after a strong Summer League showing. He averaged 23.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 4.3 assists across four games in Las Vegas, and he did it with remarkable control, committing just 0.8 turnovers per game. For a young guard with scoring ability, that kind of efficiency stands out.
Preseason matters plenty for Milwaukee as well. Taylor Jenkins is getting his first chance to install his game plan, and the Bucks are working with a roster that looks very different from last season. There are new faces everywhere, and the team needs time to build chemistry on the floor.
That’s part of what makes Burries such an interesting piece right now. The backcourt is crowded, and minutes are far from guaranteed, but his two-way skill set gives him a path to carve out a role. He has already shown a mature approach to the game, and that could push him into the rotation sooner than expected.
Jenkins has choices to make, and preseason is where those decisions begin to surface. Burries and the other young players should get a real chance to prove themselves, and the rookie guard’s first assignment could hardly be more demanding than Minnesota’s elite backcourt.
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That combination has created a real dilemma for the Bucks, because a player who helps on the floor and still carries trade value is exactly the kind of asset front offices get calls about. Milwaukee does not sound eager to move him anytime soon, but in a moment when every piece matters, it is the sort of decision that could linger if a compelling enough offer ever lands on the table. [Read more 🡒]