The Milwaukee Bucks may still have more trimming to do on the roster, but the deeper issue is already clear: even after the numbers get sorted out, there won’t be enough minutes to satisfy everyone. With Taylor Jenkins likely to lean on a crowded mix of guards and forwards, a few players look headed for limited roles before the season even gets rolling.
Kasparas Jakucionis is the most intriguing of the bunch. At 6-foot-5 and 200 pounds, the 20-year-old has the kind of passing and shooting ability that jumps off the page.
The upside is obvious, and so is the ceiling. But Milwaukee’s backcourt is packed, and that makes his path to steady minutes a steep one.
The Bucks also have Tyler Herro, Ryan Rollins, AJ Green, Gary Trent Jr., Brayden Burries, and Caris LeVert on standard contracts at guard. That’s a lot of bodies, and not nearly enough playing time to go around.
Jakucionis may get there eventually, but it feels like Milwaukee would need to move a guard or two first before that door really opens.
Nate Ament faces a different kind of challenge. The frontcourt is less crowded than the backcourt, but it still would be a surprise if the 13th overall pick carved out a major role right away.
Milwaukee knew when it drafted the 19-year-old that he was raw and would need time to develop. Taylor Jenkins’ player development background matters here, but so does patience.
The more likely setup is Ament getting eased in while players like Kyle Kuzma, Ousmane Dieng, and maybe even Kel'el Ware handle minutes at the four. Ament could also spend time with the Wisconsin Herd in the G League to keep sharpening his game.
Caris LeVert is in a different category altogether. Like Jakucionis, he’s squeezed by the guard logjam, but unlike the rookie, he isn’t an ascending talent the Bucks are trying to nurture.
LeVert is the oldest player on the roster, and last season was the worst of his career. Milwaukee didn’t bring him in as a centerpiece anyway; the trade that landed him was a salary dump that also brought back a pair of valuable second-round picks.
With the Bucks prioritizing youth, LeVert looks like a depth option more than anything else. He still has value as a veteran who can be called upon in a pinch, but on most nights, his role figures to stay light.
In Other News...
Bucks Have A Young Reclamation Project Worth Watching
The Bucks have already shown they were paying attention to Ryan Dunn once before, and that could matter again if Phoenix starts listening on its young forward. Milwaukee passed on Dunn in the draft, but his profile still fits a team that has leaned on length, defense and development projects around the edges of its roster. For a Bucks staff that has had success helping players find roles, Dunn remains the sort of prospect worth revisiting if he becomes available.
What makes him interesting is the same thing that makes his situation unsettled in Phoenix. Dunn has flashed real defensive value, but the offensive side of his game still needs a lot of work, and the Suns crowded forward group gives them a practical reason to consider moving him before the deadline. If Milwaukee wants another swing on a young reclamation project, Dunn offers exactly the kind of upside-laced gamble that could become more appealing the closer the trade market gets. [Read more 🡒]
Bucks Bench Could Make This Role Easier Than Fans Expect
The Bucks have reason to feel good about how their second unit might function this season, especially if the bench keeps stretching the floor the way it is built to do. Milwaukee is expected to lean on a group with several players known for their three-point shooting, which should help keep defenses honest and give the second unit some much-needed spacing around the ball.
Kevin Porter Jr. looks like the leading candidate to handle backup point guard duties, and his passing and playmaking should make life easier for everyone else in that group. Kasparas Jakucionis is also in the mix as a possible future option, giving the Bucks another name to watch as they sort out who ultimately controls those minutes behind the starters. [Read more 🡒]
Jason Kidd Still Looms Large As Giannis Enters A New Chapter
Jason Kidd may be away from the sideline for now, but he has not drifted far from the game or from the people he helped shape. While spending more time with his family, Kidd remains open to another NBA coaching job and has kept himself connected to basketball in a quieter way, offering informal mentorship and staying in touch with players he has known well. For Bucks fans, that matters because his time in Milwaukee still sits as an important part of Giannis Antetokounmpos rise.
Kidd continues to communicate with Giannis and Jalen Brunson, a reminder that his influence has extended beyond any one stop in his coaching career. Even as Giannis moves into a new chapter, the relationship between the two is still part of the backdrop, and Kidds role in helping develop the star during his Bucks years is still recognized. What comes next for Kidd is unresolved, but the league has not heard the last of him. [Read more 🡒]