The Milwaukee Bucks are heading into the 2026-27 season with a very different look, and ESPN’s latest player rankings underline just how dramatic that shift has been.
After the offseason trade that sent Giannis Antetokounmpo to the Miami Heat, Milwaukee no longer has a player in ESPN’s top 70. Antetokounmpo had been the centerpiece of the franchise for 13 years, winning two MVPs and delivering the 2021 championship. He was ranked No. 4 in ESPN’s rankings last season.
In return for Antetokounmpo, the Bucks landed multiple draft picks and four players: Tyler Herro, Kel'el Ware, Jaime Jaquez Jr. and Kasparas Jakucionis. That haul pushed Milwaukee toward a reset built around younger talent and future value.
Herro is now the highest-profile name in Milwaukee’s new group, but ESPN placed him at No. 71 after he missed most of last season with injuries. In 33 games, he averaged 20.5 points, 4.8 rebounds and 4.1 assists while shooting 48% from the field and 37.8% from 3-point range.
“A return to his hometown of Milwaukee offers a fresh start for the 2025 All-Star, who blossomed from sixth man to lead initiator during his seven-year run in Miami. Herro should enjoy a green light on the rebuilding Bucks, who must reconstruct their offense after parting with franchise legend Giannis Antetokounmpo,” Ben Golliver said.
ESPN also pointed to one of Herro’s signature numbers from last season, noting through GeniusIQ that he ranked second in points per direct isolation among players with at least 100 isolations, trailing only back-to-back MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
That ranking tells the story of where Milwaukee stands now. Herro is expected to carry a major load, but with no Bucks player appearing in the rest of ESPN’s top-70 list, the burden will fall on a group rather than a single star.
The incoming Heat trio brings some of that collective upside. Jaquez finished second in Sixth Man of the Year voting last season and posted the best numbers of his short career.
Ware nearly averaged a double-double and has been working out with Victor Wembanyama and Hakeem Olajuwon. Jakucionis was one of Miami’s top young players, valued for his shooting and playmaking before the Heat moved him in the deal.
Milwaukee also has returning pieces and newcomers who could help fill out the rotation, including Ryan Rollins, who finished fifth in Most Improved Player voting after a career year, along with Myles Turner, Kyle Kuzma, Ousmane Dieng, Kevin Porter Jr., and rookies Brayden Burries and Nate Ament.
Without Antetokounmpo, the Bucks are no longer built around one of the league’s elite players. ESPN’s rankings reflect that reality, and Milwaukee will have to lean on depth and shared production to piece together a competitive season.
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