The Bucks may already be looking at the one that got away.
Milwaukee used the 10th pick in this year’s draft on Brayden Burries, and he’s only now starting to get real run as a starter. One pick later, the Warriors grabbed Yaxel Lendeborg, and he’s wasted no time turning himself into the early Rookie of the Year frontrunner.
There were understandable reasons for the Bucks to hesitate on Lendeborg, but he’s making that decision look rough early on. He’s stepped into the NBA and fit right in on a playoff-contending team, while also showing there’s still another level to his game after his final college season. That kind of upside is exactly what can leave a front office second-guessing itself.
Through eight games, Lendeborg is putting up 21.5 points, 7.0 rebounds and 3.9 assists per night while shooting 50% from the field and 40% from three. That’s the kind of start that turns heads fast, and it’s already stacked up against some of the best early career runs in recent memory.
Golden State wasn’t supposed to be lighting the league up this season. The roster is old, Stephen Curry’s injuries are a constant concern, and nobody blinked when the Warriors stumbled out to an 0-3 start.
Lendeborg’s most notable early moment in that stretch may have been his trash talk to Luka Doncic. Since then, though, the Warriors have ripped off five straight, with Lendeborg’s rise right at the center of it.
That run includes a 37-point breakout against the Clippers on Nov. 1.
What’s made Lendeborg so dangerous is that he’s not just filling a role. The defense, the rebounding, the open threes from the small forward spot - those were the traits people already knew about.
The surprise has been how much he’s expanded his game as a scorer and creator. He’s attacking closeouts, finishing through NBA defenders and even stepping into stepback threes with real confidence.
The age question was the biggest thing working against him before the draft. At 24, he’s about three years older than Burries, and that made some teams wary of betting on him as a long-term project. Milwaukee, with its focus on the future, clearly leaned toward the younger option.
But Lendeborg is forcing a rethink. The whole argument for taking the younger player is that there’s more growth ahead, more runway for development. So far, Lendeborg is showing that kind of jump anyway, even at 24.
And maybe that shouldn’t have been such a shock. He was already a player who kept improving in college, and because he got a later start to basketball than most prospects, he’s spent his career proving people wrong. This season, he’s doing it again.
In Other News...
Bucks Rookie Suddenly Fits The Identity Milwaukee Wants To Build
Taylor Jenkins made an early-season lineup tweak against the Timberwolves that said plenty about the direction the Bucks want to take. Rookie guard Brayden Burries got the start over Ryan Rollins and responded with nine points and nine rebounds in his first career start, giving Milwaukee a glimpse of a player who can help fuel the faster pace the team is trying to establish.
Even with the missed shots, Jenkins pointed to Burries pace and work on the glass as reasons for encouragement, and those are the kinds of traits that tend to earn more trust quickly in Milwaukee. If the Bucks are serious about leaning into speed and energy, Burries looks like a rookie who may keep finding his way onto the floor as the opportunities grow. [Read more 🡒]
Bucks Pulled Into A Frontcourt Rumor That Could Change Their Plans
The Bucks have been pulled into a frontcourt rumor that could ripple well beyond one trade deadline conversation, with Golden State reportedly looking for help at center and Milwaukee mentioned as a possible partner. The framework being discussed would send Kristaps Porzingis, Gui Santos and a future first-round pick in exchange for a Bucks big man such as Kelel Ware or Myles Turner, a construction that immediately raises questions about fit, value and how much either side would be willing to change course.
For Milwaukee, the intrigue is obvious because a deal like this would touch both the roster and the books, and the financial side may matter as much as the basketball fit. For Golden State, the appeal is just as clear if the Warriors are serious about upgrading the middle, but for now it remains only a rumor, with no official transaction in place and plenty of room for the conversation to shift before anything gets real. [Read more 🡒]
Bucks Youth Shakeup Puts Focus On One Veteran Role Next
Early in the season, the Bucks have already started sorting out the back end of their rotation, with younger pieces like Ousmane Dieng and Ryan Rollins seeing their roles adjusted as the staff looks for the right mix. Tyler Herro, meanwhile, has held onto the starting shooting guard job, and there is little reason to think that changes anytime soon given the way he has been producing and the size of the deal attached to him.
The more interesting question for Milwaukee is what comes next if the roster picture shifts later on. Kasparas Jakucionis is a name to watch as a possible future starter, but that path may not open up until much later, potentially after the trade deadline if Herro is moved. For now, the Bucks are keeping the focus on development and role clarity, even if the bigger lineup decisions are still waiting in the wings. [Read more 🡒]