The Bucks’ new look gets its first real test Monday, and the biggest preseason question in Milwaukee is already pretty clear: who among all these guards actually separates from the pack?
That’s the storyline hanging over the team as it opens preseason against the Minnesota Timberwolves. Milwaukee is moving forward without Giannis Antetokounmpo, and the return from Miami brought back Tyler Herro, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Kel’el Ware and Kasparas Jakučionis. The Bucks also added two first-round picks from the 2026 NBA Draft in Brayden Burries and Nate Ament, giving Taylor Jenkins plenty of new pieces to sort through right away.
Jenkins hasn’t hidden how crowded things are. He pointed to the depth in camp and made it clear the staff is going to have some hard calls to make when it comes to the rotation.
"We got a lot of depth, Jenkins said. "We're going to have some difficult decisions to make for sure.
In my memory, this is probably one of the deepest teams. Especially when you look at the guard position and the wing position."
That guard group is the part worth watching most closely. Milwaukee has eight players who can fill those spots, and not all of them can get the same runway.
Some roles already feel more defined than others, but for several players, preseason is the chance to carve out real minutes before the regular season starts on Oct. 20.
There’s a clear contrast in how those guards can help. AJ Green and Gary Trent Jr. bring shooting and spacing.
Burries, Jakučionis and Kevin Porter Jr. are more comfortable with the ball and creating for others. Ryan Rollins and Herro are also part of the mix, and how Jenkins sorts through that group will shape the way this team looks from the jump.
The preseason may not carry much weight for everybody, but for Milwaukee it matters. These games are the first chance to test different lineup combinations, see who fits, and figure out which guards can rise above the rest.
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