The Milwaukee Bucks are heading into training camp with a roster that feels anything but settled, and that uncertainty is exactly what has the team energized.
One Bucks executive told Spotrac writer Keith Smith over the summer that the new mix of players gives Milwaukee a competitive edge before camp even begins.
“We’ve got a lot of vets who are going to play. But behind them are kids who are going to push them.
We should have a really competitive camp this year. From talking to the guys, everyone feels energized and ready to go."
That push-and-pull between established names and younger players is what makes this group so intriguing. While Tyler Herro and Myles Turner can probably be penciled in as starters, just about everything else is up for grabs once camp and the preseason start.
Ryan Rollins and Kevin Porter Jr. are set to battle for the spot next to Herro. Kyle Kuzma, Jaime Jaquez Jr., and Ousmane Dieng will be fighting for small forward and power forward minutes.
Kel'el Ware will have his eyes on Turner every chance he gets. Pete Nance, meanwhile, is trying to prove he belongs despite looking like a likely cut candidate before the regular season.
The second unit could end up being one of the most interesting parts of the entire camp. Milwaukee has three likely reserves in Caris LeVert, AJ Green, and Gary Trent Jr. who are all making significant money, but their minutes are not guaranteed. Brayden Burries and Kasparas Jakucionis could easily cut into that group’s role.
That’s the kind of competition the executive was talking about. The Bucks clearly believe in Burries, whom they drafted 10th overall recently, and Jakucionis, who the team allegedly pushed the Heat to include in the Giannis trade. The veterans will have a chance to hold their spots, but the younger players are right there behind them.
If the veterans don’t separate themselves quickly under Taylor Jenkins, their rotation spots - and maybe even their roster spots - could disappear before long. That makes camp a proving ground for the older players and a real opening for the younger ones.
Outside of the Damian Lillard acquisition, which didn’t work out as hoped, this looks like Milwaukee’s most anticipated training camp in some time. After the controversy of the last few seasons, a clean slate is a welcome change.
In Other News...
Mavericks Just Sent A Clear Message With This Long-Awaited Arrival
Several NBA teams have spent this offseason finally bringing over draft-and-stash players who had been lingering overseas, and Milwaukee is part of that wave with Bogoljub Markovic joining the Bucks. It is the sort of roster move that does not grab the same attention as a major free-agent signing, but it can matter just as much for a team trying to deepen its pipeline and add a young player whose rights it had been holding for years.
The Bucks are not alone in making that bet, either, with Dallas adding Tarik Biberovic and Cleveland bringing in Khalifa Diop as clubs continue to turn old draft picks into actual NBA pieces. For Milwaukee, Markovics arrival adds another layer of intrigue to a summer full of international movement, and the real question now is how quickly he can translate the experience he picked up overseas into a role that fits what the Bucks need next. [Read more 🡒]
Jaime Jaquez Jr. Faces A Bucks Role Decision That Could Change Everything
Jaime Jaquez Jr. heads into the final year of his rookie deal with a real opportunity to matter for Milwaukee right away. The Bucks are expected to give him a significant role this season, and the early shape of that role could say a lot about how they want to use him. With roster flexibility around him, there are ways to put Jaquez in lineups that open the floor and let his game breathe.
The biggest question is whether the Bucks see him as a starter or a key reserve, and that conversation appears headed for the preseason. He could end up competing with Kyle Kuzma for that spot, which adds another layer to a decision that could influence both his development and Milwaukees rotation balance. For a player on an expiring rookie contract, it is the kind of fork in the road that can change the tone of a season. [Read more 🡒]
Tyler Herro Has Put A Huge Bucks Decision On This Season
Tyler Herros next Bucks season is already carrying extra weight before the games even start. He is playing on an expiring contract, and both sides seem content to let the year unfold before getting serious about a new deal, a setup that gives Milwaukee a chance to watch how he looks over a full season while keeping future flexibility intact.
Herro, meanwhile, has his own incentive to turn this into a much bigger payday next summer. If he performs like a player capable of handling a top role, he can push his value well beyond where it sits now, which leaves the Bucks in a familiar holding pattern: evaluate the production, monitor the health, and wait to see whether the season changes the conversation about a long-term commitment. [Read more 🡒]