The Milwaukee Bucks are being linked to Jalen Duren, and if that pursuit turns into something real, the blueprint is already sitting in plain sight.
Milwaukee does not need to come up with some brand-new way to unlock a big man who lives around the rim. The franchise has spent years building around that exact kind of player, and the formula worked because it was simple: pile on the shooting, stretch defenses thin, and clear a path to the basket. That approach helped Giannis Antetokounmpo become the force he was for the Bucks for so long, and it could be the same answer for Duren if the Pistons ultimately decide to move their restricted free agent.
Antetokounmpo and Duren are not on the same level, but they share the same kind of damage inside. For the last decade, Antetokounmpo was the league’s most punishing presence within five feet of the rim, and Milwaukee made that easier by consistently surrounding him with enough perimeter threat to drag defenders away from the paint.
Duren fits that interior-heavy mold too. This past season, Antetokounmpo finished first in the NBA in points per game in the restricted area, while Duren was third.
That’s why general manager Jon Horst could simply lean on what has worked before. If Milwaukee lands Duren, the plan does not need a reset. It just needs spacing.
And the Bucks have that kind of shooting already. AJ Green is one of the best in the business in that area.
Tyler Herro, Ryan Rollins, and Kevin Porter Jr. all bring range from the backcourt. Gary Trent Jr. can catch fire.
Kel'el Ware is settling in as a floor spacer. Brayden Burries and Kasparas Jakucionis are also not shy about letting it fly.
The exact shape of the roster after a sign-and-trade is uncertain, with Myles Turner definitely gone, but the Bucks would still have plenty of outside shooting to work with. That matters because Duren just posted the best season of his career, earning All-NBA and All-Star honors, while the Pistons finished 17th in 3-point percentage. Put him with a group like this, and the lane should open up fast.
Milwaukee has the draft picks, the players, and the spending power to get a deal done. Detroit still controls the decision, but the Bucks’ interest is clearly real.
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AJ Green Suddenly Has A Real Bucks Problem
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For Green, the concern is not just that one more guard is in the room. It is that the Bucks may have less need for the very thing that made him valuable in the first place, which could trim his minutes and make his standing on the roster less secure. If the new look backcourt takes shape the way Milwaukee seems to want, Greens path to steady playing time gets narrower, and so does the case for him as a long-term piece rather than a movable asset. [Read more 🡒]