If the Milwaukee Bucks are going to have any success this season, Giannis Antetokounmpo’s fingerprints are going to be all over it — possibly more than ever before. Heavy is the crown.
A month away from training camp, it appears Antetokounmpo has opted to remain in Milwaukee and fight the good fight. It’s a noble cause and speaks to the belief he has in himself and the team. It’s also admirable to see this level of loyalty from a superstar in a player-empowerment era been defined by star player movement.
Now, all of that doesn’t change the awkward reality the Bucks face this season. As other teams like the Atlanta Hawks, Orlando Magic, Detroit Pistons and Toronto Raptors prepare for an ascension, Milwaukee will simply be hoping it can do enough to keep up.
Rivaling the Cleveland Cavaliers and New York Knicks at the top of the East? Nope, that conversation isn’t on the table.
Another MVP for Antetokounmpo? Perhaps, that is.
More East Middle-Class analysis: Miami Heat | Indiana Pacers | Detroit Pistons |Â Toronto Raptors
Offensive Overview
Surround Antetokounmpo with shooting. That has been the modus operandi for general manager Jon Horst and the Bucks front office over the course of the superstar’s emergence. This summer was no different. As Damian Lillard and Brook Lopez depart, the Bucks have looked to stabilize their floor-spacing with the addition of Myles Turner, Cole Anthony and Amir Coffey. Gary Harris has also been added as a depth piece.
It shouldn’t be forgotten Milwaukee finished tops in the league in 3-point shooting last season. Antetokounmpo is a freight train for which there is no match and that sort of rim gravity creates plenty of open looks on the outside.
Last season, Lillard averaged 24.9 points and made 3.4 threes per game at a 37.6 percent clip. He also added his own dribble penetration, averaging 11.6 drives and 6.8 free throw attempts per game. The Bucks would be happy to find that across two players now.
Kevin Porter Jr. will likely be the starting point guard when the season begins. At his best, he is a streaky shooter, so the prime spacing candidates would have to be Anthony, Gary Trent Jr., AJ Green and Ryan Rollins.
Turner had terrific chemistry with Tyrese Haliburton in Indiana. It will be a very different combination with ‘Point Giannis’ but it makes for an intriguing 4-5 pick-and-roll combo. Bobby Portis Jr. will continue to do all the Bobby Portis Jr. things. They’ll be really hoping Kyle Kuzma can resurrect his career.
Milwaukee finished seventh in offensive rating last season. Despite the bevy of transactions, it’s going to take a tremendous level of execution to remain a top-10 offense.
Defensive Overview
Milwaukee’s high point defensively last season came during the NBA Cup. Lopez and Antetokounmpo found their peak level protecting the rim, Andre Jackson Jr. had his shining moment and the rest of the perimeter defenders did just enough.
Head coach Doc Rivers will be hoping Turner and Antetokounmpo can anchor a similar level of resistance for an entire season. The Bucks finished 16th in defensive rating in 2024-25, as they excelled at preventing shots around the rim but not so much beyond the arc.
A core issue was their transition defense. Beyond Antetokounmpo, they looked lacking in speed and athleticism. Per 100 possessions, they were fourth-worst in points allowed off of live rebounds. Turner is leaving a Pacers unit that was the league’s best at stopping transitions chances, so he’ll be hoping to have some sort of positive influence in that regard.
The Bucks’ shaky perimeter defense is certainly a worrying part of their outlook on that end. Jackson may be their best bet, but he’s not necessarily playable for extended stretches offensively.
Overall Outlook
In an era increasingly defined by depth and talent spread throughout the roster, this Bucks team is a throwback. Their roster is akin to those groups LeBron James carried during his first stint with the Cavaliers.
As the best player in the Eastern Conference, Antetokounmpo can singlehandedly decide the outcome for his fair share of games. Can he do it often enough for the Bucks to finish among the top-six seeds and earn an automatic playoff spot?
It feels like too much is being asked of the two-time MVP on both sides of the floor. The 13-to-15 minutes he’s off the court every night could be enough for any good team to do serious damage. He’s also missed an average of 14 games the last four regular seasons. If he’s sidelined for any notable period of time, it’ll be a particular struggle for Milwaukee to win most of those games.
Antetokounmpo is being asked to be more than Superman. It could make for one of the most fascinating individual storylines of the year, a la Russell Westbrook’s 2016-17 MVP season.
Home-court advantage in the first round would be a tremendous outcome. A place in the Play-In Tournament is perhaps likeliest, though.
