The Bucks’ power forward picture is getting a full reset for 2026-2027, and the biggest reason is impossible to miss: this will be Milwaukee’s first season without Giannis Antetokounmpo. Nobody is walking in and recreating what he gave the franchise at that spot, so the Bucks are left sorting through a very different group of options for the job.
Right now, Kyle Kuzma looks like the likeliest name to open the season there, but his standing in Milwaukee is far from settled. The Bucks got him from the Washington Wizards in exchange for Khris Middleton in 2025, and he just finished his first full year with the team.
In 69 games, Kuzma put up 13.0 points, 4.5 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game while shooting a career-high 49.2% from the field and 34.7% from 3-point range. His numbers dipped from the season before, but his efficiency moved the other way, with his field-goal percentage jumping nearly 4%.
That’s where the uncertainty starts. Kuzma is heading into the final year of his contract, and the Bucks are in the middle of a rebuild.
The 31-year-old still gives them a veteran presence on a roster that now has plenty of new faces, but he also looks like a player whose long-term fit is very much in question. He’s been tied to trade chatter all summer because of that expiring deal and the fact that his contract can be moved, and Milwaukee has alternatives if it decides to pivot.
Nate Ament and Ousmane Dieng are both part of that conversation.
For now, Kuzma’s job is straightforward: help stabilize a young team and keep improving as a spacer and a versatile piece. The Bucks will need that from him if he’s going to hold onto the starting role.
The first major addition to the mix is Nate Ament, the No. 13 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft. Milwaukee got that selection from the Miami Heat after they finally moved on from Antetokounmpo, and they used it on the Tennessee forward. Ament spent one season with the Volunteers and averaged 16.7 points, 6.3 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.0 steals per game while making the All-SEC Second Team and the SEC All-Freshman Team.
At 6-foot-10, Ament drew attention for his fluid movement, shot creation and defensive versatility. The concern was always the shooting efficiency, since he hit just 39.9% from the field and 33.3% from beyond the arc.
Summer league, though, offered a cleaner look at what he can bring. In that setting, he shot 50% from the field and 38.9% from 3-point range.
He has also been working with NBA trainer Zach Gonzalez this offseason to try to keep that progress rolling into the regular season.
@Bucks fans, be excited @NateAment has added muscle, tightened the handle, and hasn't missed. The Bucks have a real steal on their hands.I got some exclusive clips from Nate's private offseason workouts with NBA trainer Zachary Gonzalez. The physique jump is real, the… pic.twitter.com/JgbHwbSN60
Ament is likely to begin the year coming off the bench, but if he can quickly show he belongs on both ends, he could turn into one of the more promising pieces in this group.
Then there’s Bogoljub Markovic, a name that may not be familiar to plenty of Bucks fans yet. Milwaukee drafted him with the No. 57 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, but he stayed in Serbia and played for Mega Basket as a draft-and-stash player.
That extra year turned into a major win. He took home ABA League MVP honors after averaging 18.9 points, 2.6 assists, 8.9 rebounds, 1.0 steal and 1.0 block per game, joining the company of past winners like Nikola Jokic and Goga Bitadze.
Before summer league, Markovic signed a four-year, $9.26 million deal, then showed off his skill set in front of Milwaukee fans. Across seven games, he averaged 10.0 points, 6.4 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.0 block per game. His efficiency wasn’t always there, but he did flash what makes him intriguing, including a 16-point, eight-rebound, one-block outing against the Phoenix Suns in which he went 5-for-8 from the field and 4-for-7 from 3-point range.
Markovic has a few more experienced players ahead of him, but he looks like the kind of depth option the Bucks can lean on when they need him.
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That patience fits the way Milwaukee has used these spots in the past, with a track record of developing two-way players into useful pieces. The team may be inclined to wait until after camp to see which players shake loose elsewhere, especially if the eventual target is a forward who can add some depth and give the Bucks another low-cost developmental swing. [Read more 🡒]
Bucks Could Get An Unexpected Shot At Former Lakers First Rounder
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That is where Milwaukee can keep an eye on the situation. The Bucks still have one open two-way contract spot, and they have shown they can turn that type of roster flier into something more useful. If Knecht becomes available, he would fit the profile of a late offseason addition worth considering, especially for a team that has made a habit of finding value in the margins. [Read more 🡒]