The Bucks expected Kevin Porter Jr.’s departure to open things up for their other guards. Instead, Ryan Rollins has taken the biggest hit.
Rollins was coming off a breakout season that nearly put him in the Most Improved Player conversation, but this year has looked nothing like that version of him. Through the early part of the campaign, he’s averaging just 11 points, 4 rebounds, and 5 assists per game while shooting 34% from the field and 27% from three. The efficiency drop has been the loudest warning sign, and it may be tied to the change in the backcourt.
Porter’s presence may have mattered more than the Bucks realized. Last season, he averaged 7 assists per game, the highest mark on the team, and that kind of setup work seems to have helped Rollins thrive.
Now listed as the Bucks’ point guard, Rollins has struggled to carry the offense on his own. He does have Tyler Herro alongside him this season, but Herro doesn’t offer the same level of playmaking Porter did.
That’s where Kasparas Jakucionis enters the picture. The Bucks may have found a better fit next to Rollins in the young guard, who is described as a natural pass-first point guard and arguably already the team’s best playmaker.
More minutes with Jakucionis could give Rollins the kind of partner that unlocks him again, much like the role Porter once played. That’s the hope, at least, if the Bucks want to see Rollins get back to the form he showed last season, when he put up 17 points per game and shot 47% from the field and 41% from three.
Even with Rollins struggling, the Bucks still appear comfortable with the decision to waive Porter. They’d rather bet on Jakucionis, who is 6 years younger and seen as having a higher ceiling because of his size. The move may have created a short-term problem, but the team seems willing to live with that if it means building around Jakucionis going forward.
Rollins, meanwhile, has work to do. If he’s going to stick as a long-term piece, he has to show he can adjust to different backcourt partners.
So far this season, he hasn’t done that. That leaves the Bucks with a real decision ahead, especially with his contract situation looming and unrestricted free agency possible next offseason.
His slump doesn’t just hurt the present - it gives the front office more to weigh before those negotiations arrive.
In Other News...
Bucks May Have A Simple Rotation Fix For Ryan Rollins
Ryan Rollins early-season dip in scoring and shooting efficiency has become one of the quieter concerns around Milwaukee, especially after the way he flashed last year. The Bucks have been searching for the right mix around him, and one possible answer is hiding in plain sight: more minutes alongside Kasparas Jakucionis, whose passing has already become a meaningful part of the offense.
The pairing has not been used much, but the numbers from their shared stretches have been encouraging enough to suggest there may be a simple rotation tweak available. If Milwaukee wants to get Rollins back into a better rhythm, leaning into that combination could be a practical next step, even if the sample size is still small. [Read more 🡒]
Bucks Showed The Same Alarming Problem In Cleveland Again
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Even in a lopsided result, there were a couple of bright spots for Milwaukee off the bench. Rookies Brayden Burries and Nate Ament both turned in career-high scoring nights, a small silver lining on a frustrating evening, but the bigger concern remains the same: the Bucks continue to show the kind of defensive issues that can turn a competitive matchup into a runaway. [Read more 🡒]
Bucks Rookie Nate Ament Is Forcing A Bigger Role Early
Nate Ament has already worked his way into a more visible spot in the Bucks early-season rotation, and it has happened less because of hype than because Milwaukee needed someone to seize the opening. Ousmane Diengs uneven play created that opening, and Ament has taken advantage with steady minutes and a willingness to do the little things that keep him on the floor.
The rookies box score line is still modest, but there are signs of a player earning trust beyond the scoring column. He is shooting 45.8 percent from the field and has been effective defensively, holding opponents to a 31 percent shooting rate when he is the primary defender, even if the jump shot has not come around yet. For a Bucks team looking for reliable contributions around its core, the question now is how far Ament can push that role before the season settles in. [Read more 🡒]