The 2024-25 NBA season is here! We break down the biggest questions, best and worst case scenarios and fantasy prospects for all 30 teams. Enjoy!
MILWAUKEE BUCKS
2023-24 end
Offseason moves
Additions: Gary Trent Jr., Taurean Prince, Delon Wright, AJ Johnson, Tyler Smith
Subtractions: Malik Beasley, Patrick Beverley, Jae Crowder, Danilo Gallinari, Thanasis Antetokounmpo
Complete roster
The Big Question: Does depth solve Milwaukee’s problems?
Last season was a disaster. The Milwaukee Bucks hired first-time head coach Adrian Griffin, fired him a few months later and somehow ended up with a much worse record under his replacement, Doc Rivers.
It wasn’t just coaching that kept the 2021 NBA champions from winning a playoff series for the second straight season. Damian Lillard did not arrive in Milwaukee until the dawn of last season’s training camp. When he did, he was in”the worst shape I’ve ever been in,” dealing with “the hardest transition of my life.” As a result, he and Giannis Antetokounmpo spent the season searching for a chemistry that never came.
Meanwhile, Lillard, Brook Lopez and Khris Middleton were all entering their mid-30s in various stages of decline, and the Bucks had no depth to support them. Things got worse when Antetokounmpo suffered a left calf strain, perhaps from carrying too much of a load. It was a recipe for disaster, and they did it well.
The Bucks are pot committed to their four current and former All-Stars. The $152 million they owe Antetokounmpo, Lillard, Middleton and Lopez left them with nothing but minimal offers to tender in free agency. Bucks GM Jon Horst did well to round out the rotation, landing Gary Trent Jr., Taurean Prince and Delon Wright, each of whom can contribute playoff minutes. Trent is first in line for a starting job.
Turn back the clock to 2021, then, shall we? Not so fast. Lillard, MIddleton and Lopez aren’t getting any younger. Middleton, 33, is the youngest of the trio, and he needed offseason surgery on both of his ankles. He will be limited in training camp, just like last season when he was recovering from knee surgery.
As for the chemistry between Antetokounmpo and Lillard, that at least has to be better…RIGHT?
Giannis Antetokounmpo said he and Damian Lillard weren’t able to get together this offseason, but they talked regularly over the summer.
– Eric Nehm (@eric_nehm) 30 September 2024
Oh.
Perhaps a full training camp under Rivers will be enough for Antetokounmpo and Lillard to perfect their partnership of choice. and building chemistry with a revamped rotation, even if Middleton’s absence adds another wrinkle. After all, Antetokounmpo is one of the three best players in the NBA. He averaged 30-12-7 on better than 60% shooting from the field last season. He can mask a lot of problems on any roster.
What that has meant the past two seasons is a first-round playoff exit, and that’s unacceptable. Forget about chemical worries. Why should we believe that things will improve as an old team ages?
It cannot be overstated how much the Bucks expected last season from Jae Crowder, Patrick Beverley and Danilo Gallinari, none of whom have been in the NBA much longer. Turns out you can’t just collect a bunch of scraps and form a playoff caliber. This time, they aimed for appropriate over flashy names. Trent, Prince and Wright shot a combined 39.2% on 12.4 3-point attempts per game last season.
The incoming trio also improves the team’s versatility on the defensive end, where Milwaukee rated below average last season. How much the fifth, sixth and seventh men can significantly improve the defensive unit remains to be seen. They should at least help the Bucks win regular-season games.
But there is no basketball world where a trio of minimum-salary additions single-handedly transforms a team that failed to win a playoff series into one that can win four rounds. They can contribute to a challenger, but they cannot be its catalyst. Antetokounmpo, Lillard, Middleton and Lopez must grab those reins. Only one of them is directly in his prime, and he hasn’t been healthy in two postseasons.
Best case scenario
When Antetokounmpo is healthy, he’s a monster, ferociously attacking the rim, and that’s what matters most. Without him nothing works. Lillard is growing more comfortable with his existence in Milwaukee and is returning to All-NBA form. Trent, Prince and Wright inject energy and stability into the roster, allowing Middleton to take his time on his return. Lopez anchors them at an All-Defensive level. And still we are not sure if they can beat the Boston Celtics, New York Knicks or Philadelphia 76ers; but they have a shot at any of them.
If everything falls apart
If Antetokounmpo can’t get a handle on the increased injuries to his left leg, Milwaukee is toast. Let’s put that aside for a moment. The Bucks’ title chances are in trouble if Lillard’s All-NBA days are behind him, if Middleton’s All-Star days are behind him. or if Lopez’s All-Defensive days are behind him. If either of those things are true, it will be hard to convince anyone that this version of the Bucks can contend at any point in the future. And if that’s the case, does Antetokounmpo question his future in Milwaukee?
A fancy spin
Giannis Antetkounmpo comes with warts in category formats, but he’s a top 4 option for spot leagues. Damian Lillard finished outside the top 24 for the first time in a decade, so expect him to bounce back after an entire offseason to train, rest and recover without outside distractions.
Brook Lopez’s age is catching up to him, so he’s easy for me at his current ADP. One player to watch in the later rounds is the usage of Bobby Portis Jr. Portis outscored 25% under Doc Rivers and he ranked 79th in per-game value over the final three months of the season. – And Titus
schedule 2024-25
Too many things have to go right. Take the below.
