The Milwaukee Bucks enter this season with very few homegrown pieces, and after the seismic trade this summer, that reality only stands out more. That also means the schedule is loaded with emotional swing games - nights when a Buck, or even head coach Taylor Jenkins, gets a shot at the team that moved on from him.
The first one comes fast. On October 26, Milwaukee hosts Indiana in just its fourth game of the season, and Myles Turner will see the Pacers almost immediately. Last season, the Bucks got the better of Indiana, but with the Pacers expected to be healthier, this rivalry looks ready to heat up again.
A little over three weeks later, Milwaukee gets one of its two nationally televised games of the season when it travels to Miami on November 18. That matchup brings a long list of familiar faces for the Heat, with Tyler Herro, Kasparas Jakucionis, Kel'el Ware, and Jaime Jaquez Jr. all set to face the team that traded them. Giannis Antetokounmpo is on the other side now, and he’ll have his own motivation against his former squad.
Then comes a chance for Jenkins to take aim at the Grizzlies. Memphis fired him right before the playoffs were set to begin in 2025, a move that shocked plenty of people.
He’ll get his crack at them on December 12 when the Bucks visit Memphis. Both teams are expected to take a step back after dealing away stars over the summer, but this one should still carry extra edge for Jenkins.
Ousmane Dieng gets his turn on November 28 when Milwaukee hosts Oklahoma City. The Thunder drafted him years ago and never really unlocked the version of Dieng the Bucks have started to get. That gives him a clear chance to show OKC it let him go too soon.
Ryan Rollins rounds out the list on December 20 against Golden State. Plenty of fans may not even remember that Rollins spent his rookie season with the Warriors before being traded to Washington, but the Bucks guard has a real shot to make that one sting. As he continues to grow into a rising two-way threat in Milwaukee, he gets a chance to throw a little salt in the Warriors’ wound.
In Other News...
Bucks Just Cleared A More Realistic Path For Brayden Burries
Jake Fischers latest read on the Bucks backcourt market is notable because it points away from the kind of splashy names that can clog a roster fast. Milwaukee is not primarily pursuing Bennedict Mathurin or Jonathan Kuminga at this time, which matters for a group that already has several guards in the mix and is trying to sort out who actually gets on the floor.
For rookie Brayden Burries, that creates a more realistic opening than there might have been a few weeks ago. He showed promise in Summer League and has at least put himself in the conversation for minutes, and with Milwaukees guard rotation still crowded but not necessarily about to get even more crowded, the coming season suddenly looks a little more navigable for a player trying to carve out a role. [Read more 🡒]
Bucks Offseason Approach Is Starting To Send A Frustrating Message
The Bucks offseason has started to look less like a search for a splash and more like a careful exercise in restraint. NBA insider Jake Fischer reported Milwaukee had interest in free agent Peyton Watson, but the broader picture points to a front office that is staying disciplined about its roster and unwilling to chase every available name. For a team that has spent recent seasons trying to stay in win-now mode, that kind of caution is understandable, even if it does not always feel especially satisfying.
Milwaukee is also not currently pursuing Jonathan Kuminga or Bennedict Mathurin, another sign that it is not eager to move draft capital just to add another young piece. Instead, the Bucks appear content to hold firm and manage the roster without major changes for now, which leaves the team in a familiar but uneasy place. The approach may preserve flexibility, but it also sends the message that the next step could be more about patience than urgency. [Read more 🡒]
Jaime Jaquez Jr. Just Landed A Huge Bucks Opportunity
Jaime Jaquez Jr. appears to be lining up for a much bigger role in Milwaukee after the Bucks passed on the idea of pursuing forwards Peyton Watson or Jonathan Kuminga. With those options off the board, the current forward rotation leaves Jaquez in position to start at small forward, giving him a clear path to a more prominent spot in the lineup than he has had before.
The timing adds another layer here, because Jaquez is also headed toward a new contract next summer. For a player looking to establish himself, a chance to open the season in the starting five can matter as much as anything else, and the Bucks' decision-making on the wing suggests they may already be comfortable with him being part of that answer. What happens next will go a long way toward showing whether this is a temporary fit or the start of something more significant. [Read more 🡒]