The Milwaukee Bucks are heading into a different kind of season now that the Giannis Antetokounmpo era is over. In the trade that sent Antetokounmpo to the Miami Heat, Milwaukee brought back Tyler Herro, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Kel’el Ware and Kasparas Jakucionis, giving the roster a fresh core and a lot of moving parts.
That’s the backdrop for the biggest lineup question in Milwaukee: who should open games when the 2026-27 season begins? Taylor Jenkins has options, but not a clean, obvious five. Myles Turner, Kyle Kuzma, Kevin Porter Jr. and Ryan Rollins are all in the mix, and the Bucks are still figuring out what this team is supposed to look like.
The group Milwaukee used to start the preseason - Ryan Rollins, Tyler Herro, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Kyle Kuzma and Myles Turner - has a real chance to be the regular-season starting five, at least initially. It’s the version that keeps the rotation simple and gives the Bucks a workable balance while they sort out the rest of the roster.
There’s also a case for changing that group right away, and the argument centers on Kel’el Ware. After watching the first two preseason games, the thinking is that Ware offered more than Kuzma did, which makes the lineup with Ware and Turner more appealing if the goal is simply to put the best five on the floor. That approach would give Milwaukee two stretch 7-footers to start games, even if it complicates the center depth behind them.
That’s the trade-off. Ware and Turner together can raise the ceiling, but it also creates a thinner situation at center, with Jericho Sims as the only true center mentioned in the mix. Still, the priority is winning games, and that makes the Ware version of the lineup the stronger short-term play.
The backcourt also feels more settled for now. Rollins and Herro are the right combination at guard, at least until the deadline picture changes. If Milwaukee gets the right offer for Herro and doesn’t plan to extend him, that could open the door for Brayden Burries or Jakucionis to slide into a bigger role alongside Rollins.
At small forward, Jaquez Jr. looks like the only real answer. Even if he fit better as a reserve last season, he’s the name that belongs in that spot right now.
Up front, Ware needs to start somewhere, whether that ends up being power forward or center. The idea here is to use him at power forward for now, which would also let Turner stay at center and build some trade value.
Kuzma is the piece that feels most movable. There’s no real argument for him to start, and as an expiring contract, his value may come more from what he represents than from what he does on the floor.
The bench picture is crowded, too. If Milwaukee starts Rollins, Herro, Jaquez Jr., Kuzma and Turner, then Brayden Burris and Kevin Porter Jr. can lead the second unit, with Ware protecting the rim and Nate Ament working the wing. But even then, the Bucks still have to find minutes for Sims, Ousmane Dieng, Jakucionis, Pete Nance, AJ Green and Gary Trent Jr.
That’s why a trade would make sense if Milwaukee can find one. Moving Kuzma and one of the guards would clear the logjam and let the rotation breathe a little more. For now, though, the Bucks’ best starting five is still a work in progress - and it may keep changing well beyond opening night.
In Other News...
Bucks Preseason Loss Exposed A Problem Taylor Jenkins Has To Solve
Milwaukees third preseason game offered a familiar reminder that the margin for error shrinks quickly when the fundamentals slip. In a 105-90 loss to Charlotte, the Bucks didnt just struggle to get into rhythm offensively, they also spent too much time chasing the play, with transition defense becoming an issue again after showing cracks in each of their first three exhibition games.
Taylor Jenkins has some sorting out to do before the games start counting, and the supporting cast is part of that equation. The Bucks need more from the group behind the starters if they want to avoid nights where the pace tilts away from them and the overall edge disappears for long stretches, especially when opponents are getting extra possessions and turning them into easy points. [Read more 🡒]
Bucks Still Have One Huge Scoring Question To Settle
Through the first three preseason games, the Bucks have already shown one thing clearly: the scoring load has not settled on a single face yet. Each game has produced a different top scorer, which keeps the question hanging over the roster as Milwaukee continues sorting out who is most likely to carry the offense when the games start counting.
Tyler Herro and Ryan Rollins are the names to watch in that race, and Herro appears to have the early edge because of his proven scoring ability and All-Star experience. With two preseason games still to go, there is still time for someone else to make a case, but the Bucks are entering the final stretch of exhibition play without a clean answer to one of their biggest offensive questions. [Read more 🡒]
Gary Trent Jr. Is Making The Bucks Deal Look Even Riskier
Gary Trent Jr. entered the preseason with a chance to steady the conversation around his new deal, but the early returns have only added to the unease. Through two preseason games, the Bucks wing has struggled to find rhythm, and the scrutiny around Milwaukees decision to extend him has only gotten louder as his shot has not come around.
There is still time for the Bucks to get a better read before the games start to count, with three more preseason tune-ups left on the schedule. For Trent, those outings now carry a little more weight than a normal exhibition stretch, because every clean look and every made shot will shape how this signing is viewed once the regular season arrives. [Read more 🡒]