The Milwaukee Bucks have concluded their four-game exhibition game slate, and now all sights are set on the regular s eason opener Oct. 23 in Philadelphia .
While it has been a slow start for the team in the sense that all-star Khris Middleton was recovering from offseason ankle surgeries , he has participated in individual drills and in some limited live settings. It has to be a good feeling for Doc Rivers, who held his first training camp as head coach with his regular-season roster intact.
Let’s take a look at the starting lineup, the full roster and potential rotations:
What is the Bucks starting lineup?
- Guards: Damian Lillard, Gary Trent Jr.
- Forwards: Giannis Antetokounmpo, Khris Middleton
- Center: Brook Lopez
What to know: Signing Trent as a free agent not only filled a huge hole in the starting lineup alongside Lillard, but he will turn 26 years old in mid-January and is the youngest player in the likely playoff rotation. The Bucks needed a player who is ascending into his prime years, and Trent also brings an ability to score if one or more of the Big Three are unavailable at any point. And at 6-foot-5, he brings some size and defensive ability at the off guard spot that the team has been missing from the starting lineup the last few years.
As for the Core Four that are returning, Antetokounmpo remains a singular force and should once again merit MVP consideration. Lillard begins the season with a chip on his shoulder and is looking to rebound from an “off year” for him – one in which he was still an all-star. There aren’t as many players as consistent as Lopez has been the last half decade. Middleton has had awful injury luck since his last all-star season in 2021-22, but from 2017-22 when he appeared in an average of 71 games per year he made three all-star games (and was arguably snubbed from a fourth) while averaging 19.9 points per game.
The Bucks begin the season with a full roster, having signed 15 players to guaranteed contracts.
- Guards: Damian Lillard, Gary Trent Jr., Delon Wright, AJ Green, Andre Jackson Jr., MarJon Beauchamp, AJ Johnson
- Forwards: Giannis Antetokounmpo, Khris Middleton, Bobby Portis Jr., Taurean Prince, Pat Connaughton, Tyler Smith, Chris Livingston
- Center: Brook Lopez
What to know: The Bucks are currently a second apron team, which means that if they choose to trade a player it must be one player for one player and the dollars must either match exactly, or the incoming player must make less than the outgoing player. The team cannot send multiple players out in a single trade.
What is the Bucks rotation?
The signings of free-agent veterans Trent, Prince and Wright solidified the Bucks rotation and gives Rivers options in the regular season and postseason.
The sixth man is Bobby Portis Jr.
What to know: There will be times when Portis isn’t the first person off the bench, but he’s the primary sub for Antetokounmpo and is going to be expected to provide instant offense and play big around the rim defensively. Portis has had a strong preseason and said he’s never been more personally confident entering a season than this one.
More: Milwaukee has changed adopted son Bobby Portis' life. The Bucks fan favorite hopes it can do the same for his brothers.
Taurean Prince, Delon Wright key backups
What to know: Prince enjoyed playing power forward in the preseason opener when Antetokounmpo sat out, but Rivers said the team brought the 6-6 wing to the team to play small forward. Prince isn’t the scorer that Middleton is, but provides some defensive versatility (he defended Josh Giddey and LeBron James in the preseason) and can knock down open shots. Wright is a combo guard, so he’ll likely be the first off the bench to relieve Trent, as Lillard may play entire first quarters (or at least most of them). Then, if Lillard is out, Wright can slide over to point guard.
While rookie AJ Johnson got some point guard minutes in the preseason, the Bucks do not need a third “point guard” in the rotation with Antetokounmpo and Middleton joining Lillard as primary ball handlers.
Pat Connaughton still has a role
What to know: The veteran wing turns 32 in early January and he needs to rediscover his three-point shot, but he’s going to play rotation minutes this year because he has the trust of not only Rivers, but every other starter. Maybe his days of getting over 20 minutes per game are waning, but Connaughton’s smarts and court awareness will get him on the court.
AJ Green is next up
What to know: If there is a player that can cut into Connaughton’s minutes the most, it’ll be the third-year undrafted free agent out of Northern Iowa. Green was a rotation player under Rivers when the coach took over last year (14 minutes per game) and he has the coach’s trust already for his effort on defense and steady three-point shot. Green must adjust to more attention from opponents and be that consistent 40-42% shooter from behind the three-point line to keep that role, but he should get first crack at it.
More: How Bucks guard AJ Green, aka the 'Dairy Bird,' stays grounded while trying to claim rotation spot
What about the Bucks young guys?
Andre Jackson Jr. might be the most dynamic athlete on the team, but his offensive game without the ball has to continue to develop. Perhaps being part of an offense that incorporates more cutting opens up some dunking space for the best leaper on the roster, but he has to present as a threat to score when he’s playing. Being deployed as a pesky, full-court defender and rebounder remains his best attributes, so he could be called upon in certain matchups.
MarJon Beauchamp continues to try and find his footing in his third season, but to date he hasn’t found a way to crack the back end of rotation under three head coaches. His three-point shot improved in his second year, which is a plus, but he’ll have to prove to be a reliable defender to earn minutes.
Second-year forward Livingston and rookies Johnson and Smith will likely spend most of their season in the G League as they continue to develop their games.
More: Second-year forward Chris Livingston is growing with patience and hoping it leads to minutes with the Milwaukee Bucks
Who are the Bucks two-way players?
The Bucks currently have 3 two-way players, the maximum allowed. Two-way players are allowed to play 50 regular-season games for the Bucks and are ineligible for the playoffs. They can also play for the organization’s G League affiliate, the Wisconsin Herd.
- Guards: Ryan Rollins, Stanley Umude
- Center: Anžejs Pasečņiks
What to know: Milwaukee is able to cut a two-way player at any point and sign another to fill the spot. Should a guaranteed roster spot open up during the season, the Bucks could convert a two-way deal to a regular contract.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Projecting the Milwaukee Bucks' rotations, taking a look at the starters and complete roster
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