Milwaukee’s backcourt crowding showed up right away in the preseason opener, and the first look under Taylor Jenkins did not exactly open the door for the Bucks’ two youngest guards.
Brayden Burries and Kasparas Jakucionis are two of the most intriguing names in the group, but their roles were limited from the jump. Burries, the No. 10 pick in this past draft, played 16 minutes, with most of that run coming after halftime. Jakucionis, acquired in the Giannis Antetokounmpo trade, never got off the bench.
That’s a tough early turn for two players who are just 21 and 20 years old and still trying to tap into their upside. On a team that says it is leaning into a youth-focused timeline, both guards would seem to need real minutes to develop into meaningful pieces. Instead, the first preseason game suggested those chances may be hard to come by.
The reason is simple: there are only so many backcourt minutes to go around. Ryan Rollins, AJ Green, Tyler Herro, Gary Trent Jr., and Kevin Porter Jr. are all positioned to play regularly, and their roles are tied to both their standing on the roster and the money attached to them. Caris LeVert also logged 10 minutes, and that was enough to raise eyebrows since those minutes could have gone to Burries or Jakucionis.
For now, that means the path for the two younger guards looks blocked.
Still, one preseason game is one preseason game. Jenkins could easily reshuffle things in the next outing and give both players a much bigger look.
Early on, he’s likely sorting through combinations and figuring out where everyone fits. That process may not be pretty for Burries and Jakucionis, but it does not have to define the entire preseason.
If the pattern carries into the regular season, though, it becomes a much bigger issue. Small roles - or no role at all - would only sharpen the questions around how Milwaukee plans to handle its guard logjam.
There is also a roster squeeze to watch. The Bucks will soon have to move on from two players, and if either of those departures comes from the guard group, it could clear some space and ease the pressure on Burries and Jakucionis.
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The bigger question now is how those minutes sort themselves out once the games count. If Sims and Ware keep giving Milwaukee a reliable interior push, the ripple effect could reach well beyond the bench, where the Bucks have to decide which combinations make the most sense and whether Myles Turner still fits as cleanly into the rotation as expected. [Read more 🡒]
Bucks Just Added A Young Big Worth Watching Closely
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Broome gives Milwaukee another big to evaluate up close, and the timing gives the organization a chance to see where he fits before decisions get tougher. Elsewhere around the league, the Thunder also had a roster shuffle of their own, waiving guard Robert McCray V, who is expected to head to their G League affiliate. [Read more 🡒]
Bucks Face An Opening Night Decision Fans Will Want To Watch
Kelel Wares first preseason look in a Bucks uniform gave the coaching staff plenty to think about. He finished with 14 points and 12 rebounds in 24 minutes, a solid introduction for a player whose size and activity already fit the idea of what Milwaukee could use as it tries to reshape its front line.
Myles Turner remains the veteran option at center, but the debate around who opens games there says plenty about where the Bucks are right now. If the team leans into Wares potential, it would be another sign of a rebuild-minded approach with an eye on the future, while Turner offers the steadier choice for opening night. No decision has been announced, which only makes the situation more worth watching as the season approaches. [Read more 🡒]