The Milwaukee Bucks may not have Giannis Antetokounmpo in the projected starting five being discussed, but that group still looks like it has something to prove. Bleacher Report NBA writer Greg Swartz recently ranked every projected starting lineup after the LeBron James signing, and he slotted Milwaukee all the way at No.
- That’s a harsh landing spot, and it gives the Bucks an easy bit of early-season fuel.
Swartz’s projected Bucks starters are Ryan Rollins, Tyler Herro, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Kyle Kuzma, and Myles Turner. On paper, that’s not a group that screams championship favorite. But calling it the worst starting five in the league feels like a stretch, especially if the pieces fit better than expected once the games start.
The backcourt is the most intriguing part of the group. Herro, a former All-Star, should have a huge offensive runway in Milwaukee and could push his game to another level with that kind of freedom.
Rollins is coming off a career year on offense and has quietly built a reputation as one of the NBA’s more underrated defenders. Together, they give the Bucks a pairing that can shoulder a lot of the nightly load.
Turner is another name that seems to have lost some shine after one rough season. Before landing with the Bucks, he was close to being an elite two-way big man who could hold his own against the best. With a new coach who helped guide Jaren Jackson Jr. to a Defensive Player of the Year win, Turner has a real chance to look much better.
The biggest question mark sits on the wings. Kuzma and Jaquez are not an ideal fit, mostly because neither is a major shooting threat and both could crowd the same areas inside.
If that’s where Swartz’s skepticism comes from, it’s easy to understand. Still, the shooting from the other three starters could ease some of those concerns.
There are also other lineups ranked ahead of Milwaukee that are tough to buy into. The Brooklyn Nets were placed one spot higher with Mikel Brown Jr., Egor Demin, Michael Porter Jr., Julius Randle, and Day'Ron Sharpe. That group raises plenty of questions, especially since Porter and Randle were both salary dumps and their former teams had to attach draft capital to move them.
The Memphis Grizzlies came in at No. 27 with Ty Jerome, Jaylen Wells, Cedric Coward, Cam Boozer, and Zach Edey. Even if Coward takes a leap and Boozer is immediately a star, that still leaves three major unknowns in Jerome, Wells, and Edey. Milwaukee can make a fair case that its group is more balanced than that.
Of course, it’s all theory until the season starts. The Bucks might end up being better than this ranking suggests, or they might not.
Right now, the only evidence is what’s on paper, and paper has fooled people before. The Damian Lillard era is a reminder of that.
Until this lineup actually takes the floor, the real answer won’t be known.
For now, the Bucks have a clear bulletin-board moment. This ranking is out there, and the only way to answer it is on the court.
In Other News...
Bucks Could Make One Kyle Kuzma Move Fans Wont Love
Kyle Kuzma is still on the Bucks roster, but his name has not gone away in trade chatter, and Milwaukee may end up taking a route fans would not exactly celebrate. One way to raise his value, according to the logic around the team, would be to give him a starting role next season and let him spend more time in a featured spot after a rough playoff showing.
The appeal for Milwaukee is straightforward: Kuzma is on an expiring contract, which already gives him some marketability if he can bounce back. If he looks more like the player the Bucks hoped they were getting, the front office could have a better shot at moving him by the trade deadline and possibly bringing something useful back in return. [Read more 🡒]
Bucks Just Deepened A Backcourt Problem Fans Already Feared
A Bucks front office executive said the team would love to get something done on Tyler Herros extension if it makes sense for both sides, while also keeping Jaime Jaquez Jr. in the conversation as another contract situation to sort out before the season begins. Herro remains the bigger priority, but Milwaukees interest in getting both matters handled early gives the front office a clear sense of how it wants to stabilize the roster heading into training camp.
The catch is how that fits with the backcourt the Bucks are already building around. Gary Trent Jr. is now on a four-year extension, and his presence alongside Herro could squeeze the path for younger guards who need real minutes to develop. If Milwaukee is trying to keep its guard rotation organized, the next few weeks may say a lot about whether there is room for everyone or whether someone eventually gets pushed to the edge of the picture. [Read more 🡒]
Bucks Veterans Suddenly Have Real Pressure Heading Into Camp
A new-look Bucks roster is heading into camp with a lot more competition than certainty, and that is exactly why the front office sounds encouraged. Milwaukee has leaned into a younger mix around its veterans, with the teams average age coming down and several players expected to push for real roles as the staff sorts out the rotation.
The pressure is especially noticeable in the middle and on the perimeter, where the Bucks have bodies fighting for minutes and not nearly enough room for everyone to stick. Milwaukee is already carrying 17 standard contracts and must get down to 15 before the season, which means camp is not just about performance, but about survival for veterans who can no longer assume their spots are safe. [Read more 🡒]