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[Milwaukee Bucks]

Bucks Reacts Survey: Who should start at the two and three?

Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NBA. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Bucks fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.

It’s been a good month since we last surveyed you about the upcoming iteration of the Milwaukee Bucks; in previous editions, we focused a bit more on the starting point guard role with the returns of Kevin Porter Jr. and Ryan Rollins, plus the addition of Cole Anthony. But that’s not the area of the roster with the most intrigue, which would be on the wing, particularly when it comes to who gets starting nods. So that’s what we’re asking fans about today.

For the first time in over a decade, the Bucks will enter the year without a bona fide stud on the wing, now that franchise legend Khris Middleton is plying his trade in the nation’s capital. Kyle Kuzma assumed the starting role at the three last year with… less than ideal results. Gary Trent Jr. began the year starting at the two, but was soon moved to the bench for nearly the entire season. Don’t get it twisted, though: after those first several games among the starting five past, GTJ was sensational last year. That’s part of why he made the starting lineup for the Bucks’ elimination game in Indianapolis several months ago, where he was joined by AJ Green. They not only replaced Kuz, but also Taurean Prince, who started at the three and then somewhat inexplicably the two all of last year. Both him and Kuzma struggled mightily in their first playoff run with the Bucks.

Now both of them are back, and the younger two guards are breathing down their necks for playing time. Green and Trent combined with Porter to form an interesting, if undersized group in the backcourt/on the wing next to Giannis and Bobby Portis. Presumably, that lineup can work with newcomer Myles Turner up front, but either way, the data from late last season was super encouraging, despite the small sample size. That’s led Marques Johnson to start calling them the “Triumverate.”

Now we turn it over to you. Are you encouraged enough by that two-three combo of Green and Trent to start them? Or do you want one of the regular-season guys to remain in the unit that will take the floor against Washington in October? Vote below:

Source: https://www.brewhoop.com/nba-reacts...aj-green-gary-trent-kyle-kuzma-taurean-prince

 

[Milwaukee Bucks]

Bucks Reacts Survey Results: Trent & Green is the ticket

Our most recent iteration of our Reacts fan surveys ties a bow on the starting lineup question for next year’s Bucks. Earlier in the offseason, we learned that a slight majority of respondents prefer Kevin Porter Jr. as the starting point guard over Ryan Rollins and newcomer Cole Anthony. I think it’s safe to assume that Giannis and high-profile free agent signing Myles Turner will make up the starting frontcourt. So it’s no wonder that the discussion revolves around the two and three, after both positions had revolving doors last year. But the same cast of characters is back, who do fans want to take the floor on Opening Night alongside the aforementioned trio?

For Game 5 of Milwaukee’s first-round series against Indiana last spring, Doc Rivers mercifully changed his starting quintet to feature Gary Trent Jr., AJ Green, KPJ, and Bobby Portis alongside Giannis. In Porter’s case, this was brought about by Damian Lillard’s torn Achilles. The other three? Because Brook Lopez, Kyle Kuzma, and Taurean Prince each had rough series in their own ways. Lopez is now out of the picture, but images of Prince struggling to defend young Pacers wings while going from one of the NBA’s best three-point shooters in the regular season to just 2/9 are still fresh in fans’ heads. And Kuzma, well… the images are either of him doing nothing in his 0/0/0/0/0 (plus two personals) Game 1 or blowing layups (5/15 inside the restricted area during the series).

Prince and Kuzma each started for the Bucks down the stretch, both out of position as they slid down one notch on the positional spectrum from their natural spots at small and power forward, respectively. Somehow, that big four-man grouping with Giannis and Lopez had a +5.9 net rating, so it made sense to give it a go in Game 1. It became clear very quickly that it wouldn’t work, so by Game 2, fans were clamoring for a change, which came too late. At the end of the regular season, while Dame sat out with a blood clot, the Bucks closed games with KPJ, Giannis, Portis, GTJ, and AJG to great success: a ridiculous +51.2 net—the Bucks’ best lineup with over 20 minutes played (they only had 42, though). While that group’s net rating wasn’t as good against Indy (still +6.3!), it’s pretty clear that something works here.

Naturally, fans prefer running this group back next year. 93% of our voters want Trent to start, which he didn’t do for almost the entire year last year—probably a mistake not moving him back into the starting five at some point after he returned from a few early-season games missed with back spasms. Green didn’t start much at all, but was effective enough on defense and has good size to play the two. Trent does as well, but starting either at the wing leaves a big gap between Giannis and either guy, even with their 6’7” (Green) and 6’9” (Trent) wingspans making up for their 6’4”–6’5” listed heights.

The other question is how this will work now that Turner is involved. We’ve seen the results with Portis, and that option remains, but (small sample size warning) Trent, Green, Porter, Lopez, and Giannis were +75.8 in 17 minutes. Even in 20 minutes with Prince replacing Green, they were +6.3. So whatever limited data we have to extrapolate from, a Turner/Giannis/Trent/Green/Porter lineup could be their best option, especially in winning time.

Whether or not we see that from jump street is a different question. Prince started 73 contests last year—second most on the team—but there’s not a whole lot of desire for him in our survey to reprise that role. Kuzma also isn’t a popular choice, even alongside Trent, though if I had to bet money, I’d put it on Doc starting Kuz at the three in October. I don’t like it any more than you do, but maybe he’ll surprise us.

Brought to you by FanDuel.

Source: https://www.brewhoop.com/bucks-poll...survey-aj-green-gary-trent-jr-starting-lineup

 

[Milwaukee Bucks]

EuroBasket Recap: Greece 94, Georgia 53

In a lopsided contest, Greece came away with a big 94-53 win over Georgia. Giannis dominated for the Greeks with 27 points (on 9/11 shooting), four assists, eight rebounds, and two steals in 25 minutes of action. Georgia was led by former Buck Sandro Mamukelashvili (or just “Mamu”), who had 14 points. Unfortunately for Georgia, Goga Bitadze (who would have guarded Giannis) did not play.

Game Recap​

Greece had a tremendous first quarter, with Giannis posting a ridiculous eight points, three assists, two rebounds, and two steals on 4/4 shooting. In fact, Antetokounmpo and Konstantinos Mitoglou scored Greece’s first 14 points. Greece’s defence was excellent in the early going, racking up five (!) steals in the opening frame; that defence allowed them to get easy baskets in transition. At the end of one, Greece led 22-13.

Georgia made some good strides to open the second, with George Korsantia, Kakhaber Jintcharadze, and Kamar Baldwin scoring seven of the first nine points. However, the Greek defence (and Giannis) got going after that; Antetokounmpo was subbed in at about the six-minute mark of the quarter and scored eight more points to end the half. Even though Hellas was dominating, there was an impressive play from Mamu, who drove down the right side of the court and jammed it over the Greek defender. Still, Greece had a significant 46-29 lead going into the locker room.

Giannis began the third with a corner three, followed by a triple from Kostas Papanikolaou. Antetokounmpo continued to score around the basket as Georgia’s defence could do nothing without Bitadze there to offer some resistance. Greek sharpshooter Giannoulis Larentzakis got in on the act with a three of his own as Hellas extended its lead, up 69-41 after three.

Georgia’s Giorgi Shermadini did all he could to make the final score respectable, dropping six points to open the fourth. However, Greece was just too good, with Thanasis Antetokounmpo and Tyler Dorsey getting those points right back. Giannis was subbed out late in the third quarter as the game was essentially over; observers assumed he would sit for the rest of the contest, but he did come back in with 4:52 left in the game. Giannis would play another few minutes (scoring a few points at the charity stripe), but then was subbed out for good. Greece wins big.

Source: https://www.brewhoop.com/bucks-feat...eorgia-final-score-recap-giannis-goga-bitadze

 

[Milwaukee Bucks]

Thanasis Antetokounmpo returns to Bucks

A move that felt inevitable has finally happened: Thanasis Antetokounmpo will be back with the Milwaukee Bucks. The announcement originally came from Thanasis’ social media in the form of a picture of him and Giannis with the caption “I’m back”, leaving fans in a fluster trying to interpret exactly what it meant. Within half an hour, though, ESPN’s Shams Charania confirmed a one-year, $2.9m veteran’s minimum signing (his cap hit will be $2.3m—the rest is reimbursed by the league) for the fan favorite. Thanasis was last on the Bucks in 2023–24, and has been playing for Greece’s national team in the EuroCup after returning from his injury.

This move creates some interesting roster implications. Assuming his contract is guaranteed (seems like a given), Thanasis will make the final 15-man squad, which means Milwaukee must make a cut to open up a spot for him. Andre Jackson Jr. is by far the likeliest candidate, as his contract is only partially guaranteed for $800k. His full 2025–26 salary won’t become fully guaranteed until Opening Night, so if the Bucks waived him and he goes unclaimed, they’d only incur $800k in dead salary on their books the rest of the year. Chris Livingston is also an option, though his deal is fully guaranteed and was just signed in July.

Amir Coffey, who is currently on an Exhibit 9 training camp deal, now has a slighter chance of earning a standard agreement, but perhaps Jackson Jr. and Livingston will both be gone, opening up another spot. A trade to move off of one of those youngsters to free up a spot may be in the works, but the recent saga of former first-round pick Olivier-Maxence Propser suggests Jackson Jr. and Livingston wouldn’t have much value on the open market.

In the offseason, NBA teams can carry up to 21 players on their roster, three of which can be two way contracts. Milwaukee currently has those three spots filled, plus 15 guaranteed contracts, one partially guaranteed contract (Ajax), and one non-guaranteed training camp contract (Coffey). That’s 20, so they presently have only one roster vacancy. By Opening Night, they’ll need to whittle their standard roster down to 15 players, plus the three two-ways.

Hilariously, this is the move that convinced Shams to believe what we knew months ago: Giannis will be staying on the Bucks for the upcoming season. Sometimes, all you can do is laugh at the B.S.

Welcome back, Thanasty.

Source: https://www.brewhoop.com/bucks-free...antetokounmpo-milwaukee-bucks-signing-giannis

 

[Milwaukee Bucks]

Milwaukee Bucks Ranking The Roster 2025 – Introduction

Bucks media day is four weeks from yesterday and preseason basketball five weeks from yesterday, so that means our annual and much-beloved exercise is back for its twelfth incarnation. If you’re unfamiliar, each year since 2014, we’ve polled Brew Hoop readers about which player is more important to Milwaukee’s success as opposed to his teammates, ultimately putting together a list that has grown from 15 to 18 names as NBA rosters expanded with two-way contracts. Teams usually are pretty solid by this point in the offseason, and while there are some exceptions this year due to ongoing restricted free agency standoffs, the Bucks aren’t one of them. Granted, they have surprised us in late September before and thrown our ratings off, but we press on.

How do we rank the roster? Well, we haven’t always had the same criteria as the Bucks’ title aspirations rose in the last seven years or so. As we’ve done since then, we’ll rate each Buck in terms of how we think they’ll impact postseason success, rather than their future importance, as we might have done in 2016 or so. Managing editor emeritus Adam Paris wrote this once we shifted to that line of thinking, and since it still rings true, here is our main recommendation on how to vote:

Postseason success should be paramount in your mind when considering your rankings. Regular season competency is a bonus, especially if they can help the team get to a higher seed that yields dividends in the Playoffs, but think about how you envision each individual player factoring in when postseason games arrive.

One constant among our rankings is Giannis, who has predictably taken the top spot each season since we began ranking the roster. There usually wasn’t any drama for second and third place either, with franchise stalwart Khris Middleton finishing second often, joined by trade splashes Jrue Holiday and Damian Lillard every year since 2020. Brook Lopez also found himself fourth very often too. Of course, none of those guys are Bucks any longer, and for the first time, Middleton won’t be on our list. So I’m particularly excited to see how voters decide spots two through five. I imagine newcomer Myles Turner will take second, but how high will 2025 deadline acquisitions Kevin Porter Jr. and Kyle Kuzma place? Will Bobby Portis—fifth every year since coming to Milwaukee—move up? Only one way to find out. But before we begin, let’s look at historical rankings among the current roster:

Current Player	2024 Rank	2023 Rank	2022 Rank	2021 Rank	2020 Rank	2019 Rank	2018 Rank	2017 Rank	2016 Rank	2015 Rank	2014 Rank
Giannis Antetokoummpo	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1
Myles Turner	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
Kyle Kuzma	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
Kevin Porter Jr.	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
Gary Trent Jr.	5	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
Bobby Portis	6	5	5	5	5	–	–	–	–	–
Ryan Rollins	17	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
Taurean Prince	8	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
AJ Green	9	11	17	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
Jericho Sims	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
Andre Jackson Jr.	11	13	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
Chris Livingston	12	14	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
Gary Harris	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
Cole Anthony	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
Tyler Smith	15	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
Thanasis Antetokounmpo	–	15	15	12	15	15	–	–	–	–	–
Jamaree Bouyea	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
Mark Sears	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
Pete Nance	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
Amir Coffey	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–

As of Sunday, we welcome Thanasis back to our rankings and perhaps we already have his customary 15th spot warm for him. Now there are three members of the 2021 title team still on the roster! Besides Middleton, Lopez, and Lillard, two other longer-tenured guys we won’t see this year are Pat Connaughton (finished sixth or seventh most years dating back to 2019 before falling to 10th last year) and MarJon Beauchamp (fell from ninth to 14th). There are still plenty of holdovers from last year, though, and I see two names that should both rise significantly in AJ Green and Ryan Rollins. Taurean Prince seems likely to fall, but the others might stay in similar spots.

Of course, it seems very likely there will be some movement at the end of the roster between now and Opening Night, when the standard roster must be reduced to 15 players max (plus three two-ways). With Thanasis’ signing, the standard roster is currently at 17, and 15 of those guys are fully guaranteed; Andre Jackson Jr.‘s contract is only partially guaranteed, and Amir Coffey is on a training camp deal. To accommodate one of these guys (probably Thanasis), most speculate that Ajax is gone, but perhaps Tyler Smith is in danger too. With all this in mind, we’ll rank everyone who’s currently on the roster, since a decision may not be made until mid or late October.

The other element in our polls is the Gut Check, which is where you rate your confidence in a given player that they’ll be in the playoff rotation on a 1–5 scale (1 means riding the bench and 5 means logging heavy minutes). How did our holdovers from last year fare in this regard?

1. Gary Trent Jr. – 4.72
2. Giannis Antetokounmpo – 4.58
3. Bobby Portis – 4.30
4. Taurean Prince – 3.72
5. AJ Green – 3.23
6. Andre Jackson Jr. – 2.67
7. Chris Livingston – 1.86
8. Tyler Smith – 1.55
9. Ryan Rollins – 1.25

And with all that preamble out of the way, I send you to the voting booth to determine the least important/20th most important Buck (editor’s note: this is our new poll feature, which will have more sophisticated options for future polling, like selecting multiple answers). Tomorrow we’ll unveil those results and preview the lucky (or unlucky, in this case) player for the season ahead, and you’ll get to vote on 19th. Right now we’ll keep the options pretty open, shaving them down as we go along.

Source: https://www.brewhoop.com/bucks-anal...anking-roster-2025-introduction-nba-preseason

 

[Milwaukee Bucks]

Ranking The Roster: Mark Sears debuts at 20th

The first cab off the rank in this year’s Ranking The Roster series is Mark Sears, who arrives in the Cream City with a laundry list of accolades from the college level. In a sport heavily favoured to tall people, it’s going to be an uphill climb for the 5’11” Sears to make headway as an NBA player. That said, of all the short guards to reach the fringes of the league, I think he has as good a shot as anyone.

So, what qualities does Mark have that would make him of use to the Bucks? Well, the Bucks have a dearth of true playmakers on the team; you’re looking mainly at Giannis (obviously), Kevin Porter Jr., and Cole Anthony. If Sears plays meaningful minutes this season, it would likely be if one of Porter or Anthony gets hurt, and he’d assume some semblance of the role he played in college as a high-usage playmaker. Of course, he’d also have to beat out fellow two-way Jamaree Bouyea. I should note that Mark was closer to a scoring guard than a facilitator at Alabama, but the Bucks need scoring as much as they need passing, so that could work out OK.

Another aspect that could work in Sears’ favour is that, with Dame off the team, it becomes easier to insulate a smaller guard like him than it would have been with Lillard still on the team. Guys like KPJ, AJ Green, Gary Trent, and Ryan Rollins could surround Mark at the SG and SF spots to cover for his weaknesses. If they can work out how to keep him on the court defensively, he’s going to create good stuff on the other end with his shooting (career 37.5% three-point shooter in college) and scoring ability.

Finally, I want to address the “undersized, high-usage college players can’t scale down their roles in the NBA” argument. I think there is always value in being “the guy.” Players learn a lot by playing a role in which they are relied on heavily to create offence for their team. This experience is valuable because when these players reach the NBA, they should understand what “the guy” on the NBA team needs and be able to mould their game to fit that. Furthermore, Mark’s game lends itself to scaling down; he’s a good shooter and thus can play off the ball. He also has decent passing instincts (averaged 3.9 APG across five college seasons) and knows how to make the next play. For example, if Giannis were to post up and get double-teamed, Sears would know what the correct read is when the ball is swung to him (in a way that Taurean Prince, for example, probably would not).

Overall, I’m a fan of Mark Sears and love his story of rising from obscurity to become a two-time All-American. But what about you, the readers? Do you think Sears has any shot to see the floor this season, or in the playoffs? Let us know in the gut check and in the comments, but most importantly, vote below for who you believe Milwaukee’s next-best player is!

Source: https://www.brewhoop.com/bucks-anal...-roster-mark-sears-alabama-college-basketball

 

[Milwaukee Bucks]

EuroBasket Recap: Greece 90, Spain 86

In an initially comfortable but ultimately tight battle, Greece defeated Spain 90-86 to clinch the top seed from Group C in the EuroBasket knockout stage. Giannis Antetokounmpo led the charge for the boys in blue and white to finish 4-1, scoring 25 necessary points that sent the defending champs and a recent thorn in Greece’s side packing.

Tyler Dorsey stood out for Hellas, scoring 22 points on a scorching 6/9 performance behind the arc. Kostas Sloukas and Kostas Papanikolaou added 12 and 11, respectively. Combined, the three contributed 12 assists. It was a balanced effort for Spain, with Jaime Pradilla, Mario Saint-Supery, Xabi Lopez-Arostegui, and Santi Aldama ranging from 14 to 12 points. Sergio De Larrea helmed the squad with six assists.

Giannis’ 25 points featured 60% shooting from the floor, but only 58% shooting from the line, a number he’ll be looking to improve. Still, he shot better than Spain’s 57%, including a frightful 0-3 trip from Juancho Hernangomez as Spain trailed Greece by four with 13 seconds remaining. But Giannis led his side with 14 boards and nine assists, just shy of a triple-double. Not too shabby from the Greek Freak (perhaps just “Freak” given the context), especially after missing two games (rest and knee).

Kostas and Thanasis also played a few minutes. The newly signed Antetokounbro scored a free throw and recorded a rebound alongside missing three shots and picking up a foul in under five minutes.

Greece will play Israel on Sunday at 1:45 local time in Riga. They face a favorable draw with France, Serbia, and Germany on the other side of the bracket. Giannis and co will be looking to advance to the finals at minimum.

Source: https://www.brewhoop.com/bucks-feat...ecap-greece-90-spain-86-giannis-antetokounmpo

 

[Milwaukee Bucks]

Ranking The Roster: Jamaree Bouyea enters the chat at 19th

As longtime fringe NBA player at this point, my read on Bouyea is that he is basically a finished product as a third point guard in an NBA rotation. He has a high floor in that he knows how to play and won’t negatively impact the team; however, he has a low ceiling because of his limited physical attributes. Clearly, he sits between the level of the NBA and the G League, where he has career averages of 17.7 PPG, 5.9 APG, and 5.0 RPG.

As far as Jamaree’s chances of getting playing time go, my thoughts are similar to what I wrote about Mark Sears: there would have to be injuries. That said, one part of Bouyea’s game that, if it becomes elite, could give him a leg up is his three-ball. In the G League, he’s a career 36.2% shooter on decent volume, but shot a blistering 42.1% after coming over to the Wisconsin Herd midway through last season. If he can always stay above 40% from deep, that would make him much harder to ignore.

The other element that Jamaree would need to succeed as a small guard is learning how to guard 94 feet and being a bulldog at all times on defence. To be fair, I don’t feel as if I’ve watched him enough throughout his career to know if this is even a weakness of his, but I just wanted to mention that. Small guards who cannot impact the defensive side of the floor are basically unplayable unless they are offensive dynamos, the way Dame, for example, has been throughout his career.

What do you make of Bouyea? How does he compare to a guy like Mark Sears or even some of the guards on standard contracts? Let us know in the comments and the gut check. Also, vote for the 18th most-important player below!

Source: https://www.brewhoop.com/bucks-analysis/50899/milwaukee-bucks-nba-ranking-roster-jamaree-bouyea

 

[Milwaukee Bucks]

Ranking The Roster: Pete Nance carries on the family legacy in 18th

With the spirit of this exercise being to determine playoff impact, it makes sense that Pete Nance has fallen this low in the rankings. After all, two-way players are flat-out ineligible for postseason participation— he’d need to earn a contract conversion to play in the games that matter the most. However, with the regular season in mind, Nance is in a better position than most of his end-of-bench companions, including Chris Livingston and Tyler Smith, to make some sort of real contribution. As a 25-year-old with two NBA seasons under his belt, he’s a veteran by two-way contract standards, and he has the polish to match his experience. Nance came into Summer League this past July as the steadiest hand on the court, looking like a man amongst boys next to his younger teammates. That, and the flashes he showed at the end of the 2024–25 season, warrant intrigue for how the big man can fit into this Milwaukee Bucks team in the upcoming year.

For Nance, success starts with his three-point shot. He’s hit 40.0% of his triples in the NBA so far (albeit on low volume), and he notched a 38.1% success rate in the G League last season. That type of reliability from beyond the arc gives Nance a defined role as a stretch four/five, and clarity when it comes to on-court capabilities goes a long way for fringe players getting a crack at rotation minutes, especially on competitive teams. Other players buried on Milwaukee’s depth chart also have solidified NBA skills (Andre Jackson Jr.’s defense and Mark Sears’ ball handling, for example), but where Nance separates himself is with the ancillary stuff. The Akron, Ohio native does a little bit of everything well enough to prevent him from being a liability in any area. He rebounds, defends the paint, makes good decisions with the ball, and screens willingly.

Now, there is definitely a ceiling for the type of playing time Nance is viable for, as he’s a tweener big who couldn’t be the primary rim-protecting five for long stretches off the bench. However, for 10–15 minutes a night on a random Tuesday in January, he’s a guy Doc Rivers should feel pretty confident about. A consistent rotation role won’t be in the cards for Nance (unless he’s the next AJ Green or Ryan Rollins), as he’ll be stuck behind Giannis, Myles Turner, Bobby Portis, and Jericho Sims in the front court. But if injuries arise, Nance should be effective insurance. Overall, signing him was a smart move from Jon Horst and company, as he’s exactly what a team trying to win should be looking for on a two-way deal.

What do you think? Does Nance have any chance at earning a contract conversion this season? Drop your thoughts in the comments below, and don’t forget to vote on the next spot in the rankings! Polls close at 10 a.m. (Central) tomorrow!

Source: https://www.brewhoop.com/bucks-analysis/50892/milwaukee-bucks-nba-ranking-roster-pete-nance

 

[Milwaukee Bucks]

EuroBasket Round of 16 Recap: Greece 84, Israel 76

In Riga, Latvia today, Greece fought off a few comeback attempts but never surrendered the lead during their round of 16 matchup against Israel and Blazers forward Deni Avdija, reaching the EuroBasket quarterfinals for the fourth time in as many tournaments. Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo had perhaps his most dominant outing in a tournament that’s been full of them, pouring in 37 points and gathering 10 boards. Remarkably, Giannis was one of merely two Greeks in double figures; the other—Kostas Sloukas—had only 11.

As you might gather from that factoid, Giannis was the Greek offense. Shooting 18/23, he took a plurality of the Hellas’ shots, got to the line only twice, and accrued just one assist. Due in part to his teammates’ shooting woes (the rest of the team shot a less-than-ideal 36.5% from the floor), the Greeks couldn’t build much of a lead. Avdija led Israel with 22, with contributions from former Oregon Duck Roman Sorkin and Tomer Ginat, each with 15 points. Greece’s advantage waned to two late in the third quarter, but a largely sans-Giannis lineup improbably built the lead back to eight before the horn sounded. A Giannis fastbreak dunk soon after he re-entered made it a 14-point game, and it wasn’t until the final minute that Israel got within six, though by then the game was out of reach.

Giannis’ day is one of the most prolific single-game outputs of the tournament so far, four points more than Nikola Jokic scored yesterday in a loss. Jokic, Luka Doncic, and Simone Fontecchio, of all people, have each scored 39 this year, only behind Lauri Markkanen’s 43. However, all of those totals came during group play.

If you were wondering, Thanasis saw only seven minutes, did not attempt a shot from the field, dropped a single dime… and committed three personals. I certainly forgot how quickly Thanasis could accumulate whistles in the year he was away from NBA basketball. Kostas had four points in 10 minutes.

With the defeats of Serbia and France yesterday and today, respectively, the Greeks are shaping up as one of the few remaining favorites in the field. They’ll take on Lithuania on Tuesday in Riga, looking to clinch their first semifinal appearance since 2009. Also facing off on Tuesday to face the winner of Greece and Lithuania are undefeated Turkey and Poland, home of Brew Hoop’s Dawid Księżarczyk. The three other significant threats are on the other side of the bracket: Germany, Slovenia (who match up in the quarters on Wednesday), and Finland. Only one of those teams will make the finals, of course. Given the way the field has unfolded, anything short of a spot in the finals would be quite disappointing for the Greeks.

Source: https://www.brewhoop.com/bucks-feat...greece-israel-giannis-antetokounmpo-37-points

 

[Milwaukee Bucks]

Ranking the Roster: Thanasis Antetokounmpo sets the culture at 17

As you all know, Thanasis Antetokounmpo is back with the Milwaukee Bucks after missing the entire 2024–25 season due to a torn Achilles tendon. The move has garnered a lot of attention—mostly of the negative variety (see nepotism, talent, age, injury, etc.)—and, to be honest, this is all valid. After all, Thanasis is 33 years old, coming off one of the worst injuries in sports, and has never averaged more than 10 minutes per game or played more than 57 games in a season. He also doesn’t have the resume or apparent basketball IQ to offer the “veteran presence” that kept guys like Udonis Haslem and Nick Collison on rosters for longer than their playing days warranted.

Yes, it’s totally understandable to view Thanasis’ re-signing as a grenade. And as Hazel attests in John Green’s The Fault in Our Stars (sorry, it’s the English teacher in me coming out), a grenade doesn’t come without “casualties.” In this case, there certainly will be collateral damage: someone, arguably with more playability, has to be cut. Andre Jackson Jr. seems a likely victim due to his contract not being fully guaranteed, as does Amir Coffey due to his training camp deal. But Tyler Smith and recently re-signed Chris Livingston could also prematurely get caught by the shrapnel too. In any of these cases, the optics aren’t ideal: the Bucks lose wing depth—an area of need—and/or youth (not to mention what such a move would say about the team’s management of draft picks and roster spots).

Yet, as The Fault in Our Stars’ Isaac shows, optics aren’t everything. Hear me out (pun intended).

Thanasis Antetokounmpo, for all his flaws, is the “Literal Heart” (okay, I’ll stop) and soul of the Bucks. Allusions aside, I’m an avid believer—across all sports—in having veteran players (as distinct from coaches) for leadership purposes. There’s just something to having a teammate lead through all the battles—the practices, the recovery sessions, the ups and downs—that a coach can’t replicate (birds of a feather, and all that). Theo Pinson had this reputation with the Dallas Mavericks, so this role isn’t limited to the Haslems and Collisons of the world.

For the Bucks, this is undeniably Thanasis—for whatever reason, he simply has it. He’s a non-stop worker and communicator, setting the tone for the Bucks in every facet. In other words, he’s the culture setter and, as the saying goes, “culture eats strategy for breakfast.” The fact that he’s remained a Buck under the regimes of both Bud and Doc is a testament to this notion.

Critics of Thanasis will likely attest to the intangibility of these attributes, positing that trying hard and constant communication are easy to do and that anyone can do them. But it’s these very things that are perennially underrated; hard work isn’t called what it is for no reason. Through his actions and dialogue, Thanasis is a legitimate motivator, something people outside of basketball make entire careers out of. So why is it so hard to believe there’s inherent value in this within the basketball world? And for those who do point to the collateral damage of Thanasis’ re-signing, I retort: is it worth hanging onto guys who’ve not made any impression and are just as unlikely to contribute on the court because of their draft status or—trigger word alert—“potential?”

Thanasis may be the 15th best player on the Milwaukee Bucks’ final roster, but that’s actually what makes him even more valuable—most 15th men won’t play anyway, let alone sniff at the cultural impact he has. Moreover, when the 15th best player is the hardest worker—knowing full well he likely won’t play—it flips the hierarchy on its head (thanks, Mitchell), sending the message to everyone in front of him: you have to bring it every day, and I’ll be right here to help you through each one. That’s power.

So, I beg of you: focus not on what Thanasis can’t do and instead focus on what he does: make the biggest and baddest dude in the league—and by nature the Bucks—even better. You want playoff impact? You’ve got your answer right there.

Onto number 16, who we’ll discuss tomorrow:

Source: https://www.brewhoop.com/bucks-anal...cks-nba-ranking-roster-thanasis-antetokounmpo

 

[Milwaukee Bucks]

Ranking the Roster: Tyler Smith uncertainty at 16

There is a slim chance that by the time you are reading this, Tyler Smith might not be on the roster. With recent additions of Amir Coffey on a training camp deal and Thanasis Antetokounmpo being announced, the Bucks will have to cut/trade players to make space on the roster. One of those could be 2024 second-round pick Tyler Smith, who didn’t do much of anything with the senior squad last season and ends up 16th in our ranking this year, one spot lower than 2024’s 15th. In his rookie season, Smith played in 23 games, seeing only 122 minutes with the Bucks. With the Wisconsin Herd, Smith played in 15 games, averaging 24.2 MPG, 9.4 PPG, 6.3 RPH, shooting 42.9% from the floor and 38% from three. His scoring dropped from the 2023–24 season with the G-League Ignite, but he shot better from three, increased his rebounds, and cut down on his fouling.

There are two ways to look at Tyler Smith. The first is that he is still a young player, only 20 years old, and entering his second season in the league with a smooth-looking shot and athleticism. That is a type of skill set that could still make him a factor in the future. The second is that he is not good enough defensively, and after an underwhelming summer league, he doesn’t seem like a player who will ever contribute to winning basketball. I see both viewpoints, and truly, we don’t have an answer on what it will be.

Since Milwaukee drafted him, I have always viewed Smith as a potential successor to Bobby Portis. Smith shows potential as a stretch four that could help Milwaukee’s offense in a bind, but could be a liability on defense. Unlike Portis, Smith doesn’t have the post offense ability, but is more athletic and can be molded to fit a team’s needs in the future. I honestly can see how Tyler Smith can work: a year to get acclimated to the league and a potential NBA skill set, then more time to figure out what he is and can become.

Will that time come with Milwaukee, though? Chris Livingston and Andre Jackson Jr. seem closer to finished products at this stage of their lackluster careers, while Coffey and Gary Harris don’t seem to raise the Bucks’ floor or ceiling. The Bucks also need to consider whether they are willing to cut ties with both of their 2024 draft picks in a calendar year after using their only draft pick in 2025 to stash away in Europe. I don’t think that is best for the present and future of the franchise compared to the other options Milwaukee could cut bait with. This could all also not matter by the trade deadline if Smith toils away in Oshkosh without flashing anything.

15th is next. Check back tomorrow for a preview of him.

Source: https://www.brewhoop.com/bucks-analysis/51111/milwaukee-bucks-nba-ranking-roster-tyler-smith

 

[Milwaukee Bucks]

EuroBasket Quarterfinals Recap: Greece 87, Lithuania 76

For the first time since 2009, Greece has clinched an appearance in the EuroBasket semifinals, taking down Lithuania 87-76. Once again Giannis Antetokounmpo led Hellas’ attack with 29 points, six rebounds and four steals. The two-time NBA MVP did get a little bit more help compared to the previous game against Israel, with Vasileios Toliopoulos (17) and Kostas Sloukas (11) scoring in double figures. Denver Nuggets center Jonas Valanciunas picked up a double-double for Lithuania with 24 points and 15 rebounds.

It was another close game throughout, with both sides struggling to hit any shots from distance with regularity. Lithuania came out swinging with a 7-0 lead, but Greece was able to find their footing thanks to Giannis and take the lead right back. Giannis had 11 points in the first quarter alone to help push Hellas ahead by five heading into the second quarter. The two sides swung back and forth during the second quarter, with Greece getting ahead by six before Lithuania fought back to get within one point. But a three from Vasileios Toliopoulos and a turn-around jumper from Giannis gave Hellas a six-point lead heading into half time.

Greece’s defense turned it up in the third and were able to build a sizeable lead to fend off any comeback attempt by the Lithuanians. In the third, they only allowed 14 points, seeing that six-point lead at the break balloon into 13 before taking a 12-point lead into the fourth. The lead expanded to as high as 16. By the time Lithuania got into the single digits, it was too little too late with just one minute remaining on the clock.

In other Antetokounmpo news, Thanasis didn’t play after playing seven minutes against Israel, but Kostas, the second youngest of the Antetokounmpo quintet, saw some action on the floor. Kostas was a menace on the defensive end with four blocks, and also contributed four points, three rebounds, two assists and a steal. Yet he managed to follow in his older brother Thanasis’ footsteps with five personal fouls committed.

Greece will play their Mediterranean rival in Turkey after they defeated Poland (sorry Dawid) 91-77 in Riga. As of this writing, we don’t know what the other semifinal match up will be: tomorrow, Finland will play Georgia at 9:00 a.m. central tomorrow and Germany will play Slovenia at 1:00 p.m. central. Greece will be looking to get back to the finals for the first time since 2005, when they won the entire tournament.

Source: https://www.brewhoop.com/bucks-feat...-greece-87-lithuania-76-giannis-antetokounmpo

 

[Milwaukee Bucks]

Ranking The Roster: Andre Jackson Jr. drops to 15th

Things are not looking promising for Andre Jackson Jr., whose guarantee date for his contract was pushed back earlier in the offseason. As I wrote in an upcoming story I collaborated on with our Finn Kuehl, Jackson is getting to a point of becoming an offensive dead end. We know the defensive ability is special, but it is so just so challenging to have him out there on offence that it’s almost not worth it (despite what his efficiency on extremely low volume may tell you).

It’s hard because of the sinking feeling fans will collectively feel if (if, if, if) Andre ever learns how to be additive on offence. If that happens, he instantly becomes a very handy player; it says a lot that this belief is widely held, and yet his offence is so limited that he managed to drop four spots in Brew Hoop’s RTR series since last year.

Honestly, I’m not too sure how much more analysis is needed here. Jackson would be an odds-on favourite to be cut before the season starts due to the Bucks signing Thanasis once again, so will he even get a chance to show improvement? If he does, the equation is simple: become playable offensively. If that happens, he should not only make the team but also be a key part of it. It’s not as if the Bucks don’t need guys to play that exact role.

The other part that sucks for fans is that AJax is one of the most likable players to walk through the organisation’s doors. The guy brings his hard hat to work each day and is the ultimate teammate. I’d love to see Andre find a place somewhere, even if that isn’t in Milwaukee. OK, poll time!

Source: https://www.brewhoop.com/bucks-analysis/51262/milwaukee-bucks-nba-ranking-roster-andre-jackson-jr

 

[Milwaukee Bucks]

Bucks sign Cormac Ryan to training camp deal

With training camp tipping off in just under three weeks, the Bucks are filling out their roster to its 21-man offseason limit, signing guard Cormac Ryan. It’s an Exhibit 10 deal, per Eric Nehm of The Athletic.

You might remember Ryan from the Bucks’ Summer League squad in July. Back then, our resident Summer League expert Finn Kuehl called him “a flat-out three-point sniper who makes good decisions as a passer” with the caveat that “there’s a universe where he’s the next AJ Green, but we probably don’t live in it.” Certainly, his 18-point performance in the Vegas opener had some dreaming on him as the next Bucks two-way success story, when he buried three of his six looks from behind the arc in 22 minutes off the bench. But that star quickly faded, as he connected on just 25.7% of all his attempts for the remaining four exhibition contests, including a nasty 4/22 behind the arc.

Nevertheless, Milwaukee saw fit to take a look at Ryan for at least training camp. At 6’5” and 195 pounds, the Manhattan native has good size for the two, but is definitely on the older side for someone with no NBA experience: he’ll be 27 in October. He split his college career between a year at Stanford (he transferred out pre-pandemic, even), three at Notre Dame, and one at UNC with his extra year of eligibility. His college shooting line of .396/.354/.825 hides within it one pretty successful season in terms of conversion: his redshirt sophomore year in South Bend, when he shot 45.4% from the floor and 40.7% from deep.

Ryan spent last year with the Oklahoma City Blue (come on, really?), the Thunder’s G League affiliate, averaging 12.3 PPG, 3.7 RPG, and 2.0 APG in 27.4 MPG, shooting an impressive 97% (65/67) from the line plus 40.4% from the field and 35.6% from three. He was in camp with OKC last year too. In Vegas with the Bucks, he had similar counting stats with 11.8 PPG, 2.4 RPG, 1.6 APG in 23.1 MPG but the .326/.250/.917 shooting line won’t confuse anyone with Green. So he doesn’t really project as a future gunner in the league.

This signing actually has the Bucks’ roster at 21, at least for now. As we’ve discussed, Milwaukee has 15 players on guaranteed contracts thanks to the (re)signing of Thanasis Antetokounmpo, and Andre Jackson Jr. is only partially guaranteed for $800k. Then there are three players on two-way contracts—three is also the limit for the number of two-way players teams can carry—plus training camp deals for Amir Coffey and now Ryan, both fully non-guaranteed. So if the Bucks want to add anyone else for camp, a move will need to be made first to oepn a roster spot. If Ryan is waived before Opening Night and the Bucks designate him as an affiliate player, he’d get a $85,300 bonus for joining the Wisconsin Herd, so long as he remains with them for 60 days.

Source: https://www.brewhoop.com/bucks-free...kee-bucks-sign-cormac-ryan-training-camp-deal

 

[Milwaukee Bucks]

Ranking Milwaukee’s young pieces

Using what has mostly been late draft picks (and undrafted signings), the Bucks have amassed a fascinating collection of young players who, due to being late selections, each have clear deficiencies in their games and, statistically speaking, are more likely not to stick in the NBA than they are to find a home. However, as rabid NBA fans, we can’t help but hope that at least some of these players will overcome their flaws and morph into contributing NBA players; it happens all the time around the league, with AJ Green being the most notable example of that. Therefore, Jack and Finn went through the under-25 Bucks players (excluding Ryan Rollins, who has “graduated”) and ranked each player through the lens of who they believe has the highest chance to eventually stick in an NBA rotation consistently. Crucially, this means any NBA rotation, not just Milwaukee’s, given the Bucks may end up cutting some of these guys (possibly very soon). This gives Jack, Finn, and the readers a chance to put their chips on the table and predict if the Bucks will or will not regret moving on from a player.

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Jack: Before getting to my ranking, I just want to make clear that, as much as it sucks to say, I’m lukewarm on anyone from this crop turning into an NBA rotation piece. If the over/under was set at 1.5, I would take the under.

1. Bogoljub Markovic
2. Tyler Smith
3. Andre Jackson Jr.
4. Chris Livingston
5. Mark Sears

Finn: My ranking shook out pretty similarly to Jack’s. However, I’m a little more optimistic about this crew, and feel good about at least two of my top three being real players at some point.

1. Bogoljub Markovic
2. Tyler Smith
3. Andre Jackson Jr.
4. Mark Sears
5. Chris Livingston

Bogoljub Markovic​

Jack: Ultimately, I placed Bogi first because he probably has the highest floor out of these five players. If the standard to reach is “plays rotational minutes for an extended period of time,” I think he has the best chance. His ability to make sound decisions and process the game at a high level separates him from everyone on this list except for Mark Sears (who is limited by his stature, of course). That said, I am unsure if I see an “NBA skill” in Bogi other than being competent at many things. The high bar of playing in the NBA could well require him to develop that skill; perhaps becoming a deadly stretch big is his ticket. I buy the shooting form and there is a track record to go off there. Then there’s the slow-footed defence and lack of strength, which are long-term concerns but will hopefully improve in the short-term back in Serbia this season.

Finn: I’m very bullish on Bogi. He’s a project the Bucks need to invest in. Like Jack mentioned, he has a solid foundation as a prospect due to his innate understanding of the game. Markovic can and will be an NBA-level decision maker, an indispensable trait for a role player. If you can’t keep the ball moving and limit turnovers in a supporting role, you won’t be in a rotation. As for a true NBA skill, I think it will be shooting for Markovic. The touch, the form, and the fluidity are all there for him, as is the confidence. Of course, he does have some notable flaws, but given his young age and impressive growth mindset, dismissing his ability to add strength seems foolish. All in all, there is a really good pro in Bogi waiting to get uncovered.

Tyler Smith​

Jack: Despite showing very little in his first season, I placed Tyler second, mostly because I have lost a lot of faith in Andre and have always struggled to see it with Chris. Ultimately, this ranking comes down to my belief that Smith now has a greater chance of being playable on both ends than Jackson or Livingston do. And sure, that may take time to eventuate, but I am dubious that it is in the cards for either of those other guys, ever. I look at Tyler and, if I squint hard, can see a roadmap for him. First off, I just can’t quit the belief that he’s going to shoot it at a high level, if literally nothing else. That shooting (or the mere threat of it) gets him on the court on offence as a starting point. Now, he must also learn to process the game faster (Bogi is miles ahead in this department), and I hope he adds something, anything, off the dribble. However, good shooting ability remains the most critical singular skill to have, especially at size, and I feel that he has it. Defensively, I admit, I’m worried. There are two main issues: firstly, Tyler is so damn skinny; if he were 24, I’d have no hope, but he’s 20. I am crossing my fingers that he can get stronger over the next few years (which is why I’ll be fuming if he’s cut, not allowing for that maturation). The other issue is his fundamental understanding of positioning, rotations, and so on. The good part is that both of these issues can be corrected in a way that AJax’s offence probably cannot at this point, hence the higher ranking. If Tyler can get himself to a level where he can compete physically and improve the mental side, he’ll give himself a red-hot chance. That, plus being a deadly stretch big on offence, is the vision—and I do believe it’s realistic.

Finn: Smith is far and away the second-best prospect on this team. He’s currently worse than AJax and probably Livingston too, but when it comes to upside, Smith clears his older peers. The 20-year-old was a borderline lottery prospect in the 2024 draft who fell into Milwaukee’s lap early in the second round. He has an all-but-cemented NBA skill in his shooting, which he has proven both in the G and his limited major league playing time. He doesn’t have the same type of IQ/feel that Bogi does, which is concerning, but he has more potential as an athlete that could be unlocked if he gets stronger. Yes, Smith may be frustratingly raw right now, but if the Bucks lift ready-now expectations for him and replace them with long-term goals, they could be very rewarded by his development. It would be very disappointing to see this team give up on him in favor of Thanasis.

Andre Jackson Jr.​

Jack: I have always tried to hold my Jackson stock because I believe he has significant defensive upside that cannot be found anywhere else on the roster. However, the offence is nearly untenable and will be exposed to an extreme degree in any high-stakes contest. I sometimes find myself, like a mad scientist, concocting theories on how to optimise Andre on that end; what lineup must be out there, who he needs to be screening, etc. And then I snap out of it and think, “what am I even doing here? It shouldn’t be this hard to work out how to get an NBA player to survive on offence!” That’s basically the extent of my analysis nowadays with AJax. It’s close to a dead end if nothing changes offensively, and, at this point, I’m not sure it’s realistic to expect those changes given his age. That said, I placed Andre above CL because on the off chance the offence does come, he instantly becomes a legitimate rotation piece.

Finn: AJax should be a lot better right now than he actually is. Not only is he almost 24 years old with two full NBA seasons under his belt, he also had a lot of positive momentum early in his career that has since completely come to a halt. As a rookie, he earned the trust of coaches Griffin/Rivers, ultimately playing a bench rotation role in the playoffs. At the beginning of 2024-25, he forced his way into real minutes and went on to start 43 games in the regular season. Yet, despite all that, he’s now in danger of being cut, and his lack of development is to blame. AJax has the toolbox to be a quality fifth option on offense. He’s super athletic, a smart connector and a capable three-point shooter. However, he inexplicably just hasn’t put together the pieces or shown any sort of aggression at all. I believe in AJax becoming a rotation player somewhere, especially given his defensive abilities, but I don’t think it will happen in Milwaukee. This team can’t afford him much more patience with other prospects needing attention as well.

Chris Livingston​

Jack: My qualm with Chris is the same as it’s always been: I’m yet to hear a convincing, realistic roadmap for how he can be deployed on an NBA court and be additive on either end—whether that’s this season or, theoretically, in three years. I just don’t see much room to grow here; to me, he’s basically a finished product without a definable NBA skill. What is his go-to strength on offence? Is it shooting? He does not have a track record of being a shooter, and the form itself isn’t pretty, but he did make shots in Vegas. For CL to be an NBA wing, he really has to shoot it, because the bully-ball he does at lower levels isn’t going to work, and he has no off-the-dribble game to speak of. If he can shoot, a role might open up for him, but that’s a tough sell. Put it this way, Tyler Smith has indeed had fluctuating shooting percentages throughout his short pro career, but I’m willing to bet that if Doc threw him out there in a random December game, he’d get guarded like a shooter—I can see teams completely ignoring Livingston. I’ve talked on Deer Diaries about how CL needs to shoot it, but if not, he should cram Obi Toppin tape and try to be a mobile screening big. On defence, Livingston’s best quality is that he’s built like a tank, but what about the intangibles? Can he get around screens? Can he block shots? Can he guard up the floor? These are all questions that we, as fans, don’t definitively know the answers to, but the fact that Livingston has never gotten a shot at consistent NBA minutes could well be an indication that the team does.

Finn: Livingston looks the part of an NBA player. He has strong physical tools that give him a promising foundation, especially on defense. However, it’s unclear at this point exactly what his role would look like. I think following the Obi Toppin blueprint would be the way to go, but he would need to show some growth in his processing and shooting touch to get there, especially because he’s not the high-flying detonator that Toppin is. We haven’t seen much of Livingston on an NBA court through his first two seasons, and I don’t think we’ll be able to properly evaluate him until he gets some more burn. The question is, though, how much playing time will be available for him on this roster?

Mark Sears​

Jack: Sears is at the bottom by default, really. While I’d love to see him succeed, the number of guys at his height who make it in the NBA is so small. If he were 6’4”, he’d be in my top three. It’ll be a tough row to hoe for Mark, but if anyone can do it, it’s him.

Finn: Sears escaped the basement of my list because he truly is an unbelievably talented basketball player. Jack and I have gushed about him before, so I’ll keep it short here, but the little guard has all the qualities of a steady lead guard on a professional basketball team. He would genuinely be a lock for a solid 5+ year career if he wasn’t sub-six-foot. So, to echo Jack, the odds are definitely stacked against Sears, which is why betting on him becoming a rotation player isn’t all that smart. However, he does have the chance to make people look foolish for writing him off.

Source: https://www.brewhoop.com/bucks-anal...-andre-jackson-jr-chris-livingston-mark-sears

 

[Milwaukee Bucks]

Ranking The Roster: The Summer of Chris Livingston equals 14th

Stanley Umude walked so Chris Livingston could fly—into 14th place in our annual Ranking The Roster series.

Livingston had an interesting offseason. He was waived in early July and then re-signed two weeks later, to the tune of $2.3m for one year (a fully guaranteed contract, unlike that of Amir Coffey, who will inexplicably finish higher in these rankings). Then, as is now expected, he dominated Summer League, earning an A- grade from our own Finley Kuehl and Jack Trehearne. He put the ball through the hoop, including scoring from deep at volume. The former professional basketballer among them likely knows enough ball to have credibly deemed his shot as “uggo,” but that evaluation could be chalked up to his pro-Umude partisanship.

The offseason followed a season in which he appeared in exactly the same number of games as his rookie campaign, for a glorious total of 42. His statistics were essentially identical, albeit difficult to interpret as small samples of mostly garbage. In Oshkosh, it was a bit of a different story. He played 11 games to the previous season’s 16, spending more time on the bench in Milwaukee. Those games paint an interesting picture. His three-point shooting percentage and volume regressed significantly, casting some doubt on his Summer League performance and supporting the “uggo” shot evaluation. But he played a bigger role on the squad, upping his assists and boards in the process.

Where does that leave Chris this upcoming season? Three key factors are at play. The first: can his game translate to NBA-level competition? The evidence is murky on this one. He has only looked like NBA talent against non-NBA competition thus far, and his somewhat limited stature may pose problems in the big league. But most folks fare better against worse competition, and another year in the weight room will hopefully bode well for him.

The second: can his game translate to a role on this Milwaukee Bucks squad? Like Ish Smith is a point guard, he is a wing. That’s a start! His increased usage with the Herd does not scream role player, but he does things like Donte, which seems scalable to a smaller role.

The third, perhaps the most troubling of all: will Doc Rivers play him when there are purportedly 13 players above him in the pecking order? Doubtful. Realistically, if Chris Livingston is an NBA player, we won’t find out until he’s on another team. But we can dream.

I have to commit to the bit and hype CL til the cows come home, so make sure you balance my partisanship in the comments below. Most importantly, vote below for who you believe Milwaukee’s 13th-best player is, as we add a few more names. You have until 9 a.m. (Central) tomorrow to cast your votes.

Source: https://www.brewhoop.com/bucks-analysis/50796/milwaukee-bucks-ranking-roster-chris-livingston

 

[Milwaukee Bucks]

Ranking The Roster: Amir Coffey is guaranteed 13th place

Why rank a player on a training camp deal, you ask? Well, Amir Coffey is in an interesting position on this Bucks roster, as he’s flat-out better than every small forward not named Kyle Kuzma. Coffey, a six-year NBA vet, has proved himself over time as a useful bench piece who can also scale up and be productive in a bigger role when needed. Sicko Bucks fans may remember when he dropped 32 points, seven assists, and four steals in Milwaukee back in April of 2022. This guy should have a spot on the 15-man squad, but making that happen just got a lot harder, which we’ll discuss soon. First, let’s talk about what Coffey does on the court.

Generally, role-playing forwards in today’s league, especially those on playoff teams, are expected to have dribble-pass-shoot skillsets. Coffey can do all of those things. He’s a career 38.4% shooter from beyond the arc who can heat up in a jiffy and fill up the scoring column. In 67 career starts, the Minnesota product has averaged an efficient 12.4 points. Where Coffey separates himself from Taurean Prince (his main competition for minutes at the three) is with the dribble/pass part. He’s an effective slasher and scorer off the bounce in the mid-range— he’s shot 46.3% between 10-16 feet for his career. He’s not a true playmaker, but he’s a trustworthy decision maker who keeps turnovers at an absolute minimum while creating some plays for others off drives. Coffey can also defend respectably, especially in a switchknife or chaser role. He’s not a true wing stopper, but he pulls his weight. Overall, Coffey is a multidimensional contributor on the wing who would fit into a variety of lineups for Milwaukee.

If Coffey cracked the final roster for the Bucks, he could play a key role in the rotation on the wing. However, as mentioned, the chances of him making the team are currently looking grim. The signing of Thanasis Antetokounmpo threw a bit of a wrench into things. Originally, waiving Andre Jackson Jr. from his partially guaranteed deal would have opened up a spot for Coffey, but now Thanasis will likely take that place. To retain Coffey for the 2025–26 season, the Bucks would have to part ways with another player, potentially Chris Livingtson or Tyler Smith. Given how handy it would be to have him around, putting someone else on the chopping block could be worth it, but it’s a tough choice. Giving up on Tyler Smith, for example, would be really disappointing.

What do you think? Would you waive someone to keep Coffey, and if so, who? Drop your thoughts in the comments below, and don’t forget to vote on the next spot in the rankings!

Source: https://www.brewhoop.com/bucks-analysis/51017/milwaukee-bucks-ranking-roster-amir-coffey