The Milwaukee Bucks came into the season with what looked like one of the deeper rosters in the league - a group that could weather injuries, plug holes on the fly, and keep the team afloat when stars sat. But two months in, that depth has eroded fast. Injuries have chipped away at the rotation, a few offseason bets haven’t paid off, and head coach Doc Rivers is tightening the leash on his bench to the point of suffocation.
Thursday night’s loss to the Raptors put the issue under a microscope. The Bucks rolled with just eight players, despite clear signs that the rotation wasn’t holding up.
And while injuries are out of Rivers’ control, the decision to limit his own options? That’s squarely on him.
A Short Bench in a Long Game
Let’s be clear: the Bucks are banged up. Giannis Antetokounmpo remains sidelined.
Taurean Prince is done for the year. Kyle Kuzma missed the game due to illness.
That’s a lot of production - and versatility - off the table. But even with those absences, Milwaukee had more than eight playable bodies.
Rivers just didn’t use them.
Instead, he leaned heavily on a rotation that wasn’t getting it done. Gary Trent Jr. struggled mightily, shooting just 1-for-8 from the field.
AJ Green, back from a shoulder injury, looked rusty. Kevin Porter Jr. had a rough night too, going 7-for-18 with seven turnovers.
That’s a trio combining for inefficiency, turnovers, and minimal impact - and still getting extended minutes.
Off the bench, Rivers turned to Bobby Portis, Ryan Rollins, and Gary Harris. That’s it.
No experimentation, no curveballs, no situational subs. Just eight guys and a hope that it would be enough.
The Case for Opening the Rotation
Now, it’s not about throwing Cole Anthony out there for 20 minutes just to see what happens - Bucks fans have seen that movie, and it doesn’t end well. But when the core group is sputtering, why not give someone else a look? Especially when the reserves who did play actually held their own.
Take Andre Jackson Jr., for example. He’s raw, sure, and limited offensively, but he brings energy and defense - two things the Bucks were sorely lacking against Toronto’s wings.
With Kuzma out, the team was desperate for help on the perimeter. That would’ve been the perfect moment to give Jackson a shot.
He’s not a game-changer, but he can at least disrupt passing lanes, switch onto multiple positions, and bring some life to a flat lineup.
Then there’s Amir Coffey. It’s fair to say the signing hasn’t panned out, but is he really unplayable?
Trent posted a team-worst minus-15 in the box score. At some point, you’ve got to try something else.
Even five to seven minutes of Coffey might’ve helped stem the tide or, at the very least, saved legs for the fourth quarter.
And what about Mark Sears? The rookie hasn’t seen the floor in nearly a month, even when active.
He’s a capable shot creator and a confident scorer - maybe not the ideal matchup against Toronto’s physicality, but we don’t know unless he gets a chance. Pete Nance has also drawn interest from fans, and while he’s still developing, the Bucks don’t have the luxury of ignoring potential contributors.
Rivers’ Dilemma: Trust vs. Reality
To Rivers’ credit, he hasn’t blindly leaned on veterans just because of their names. Cole Anthony’s turnover issues have made him tough to trust.
Coffey hasn’t shown much when he has played. Rivers isn’t forcing those minutes - and that’s a good thing.
But the pendulum may have swung too far. By refusing to dig deeper into the bench, Rivers is essentially conceding that the team can’t afford to take any risks.
Problem is, the current rotation isn’t working. And when your go-to guys are floundering, sticking to them out of habit isn’t loyalty - it’s a missed opportunity.
This isn’t all on Rivers. He didn’t make Kuzma sick.
He didn’t injure Prince. He didn’t sign Anthony and Coffey or hope they’d be more than they’ve shown.
The front office gambled on depth pieces, and so far, those bets haven’t paid off.
But Rivers does control how he responds to that reality. And right now, he’s playing it safe - maybe too safe. The Bucks are searching for answers, and the coach is holding back cards that, while not aces, might still help win a few hands.
In a season where every game matters - and where the margin for error is razor-thin - Milwaukee can’t afford to keep its bench glued to the pine. If the Bucks want to rediscover the depth they thought they had, it starts with giving those fringe guys a shot.