Milwaukee Bucks will have the best bench in the NBA

It obviously depends on what the exact starting lineup is, but the Milwaukee Bucks will own the best group of reserves in the NBA this season.

Less than three weeks before the opening of the 2016-2017 season, the Milwaukee Bucks don’t have a set starting five after the loss of Khris Middleton.

Besides the uncertainty with the starters, there are also lots of trade rumors floating around. The most likely deals would involve Michael Carter-WIlliams, Greg Monroe or John Henson. All three of these guys are expected to come off the bench.

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Based on research, conversations, and media reports it appears 80 percent of the starting five will probably include:

Giannis Antetokounmpo

Jabari Parker

Matthew Dellevedova

Miles Plumlee

The fifth man has to be someone who can defend a guard, and ideally shoot a little bit from the outside. One could argue there isn’t a guy who gives you that sort of guaranteed success at this point.

For this exercise, I’m going with rookie Malcolm Brogdon. He was a fifth-year senior wo plays solid defense, has a strong basketball IQ, and can knock down some outside jumpers.

That means the bench would boast this group (with 2015-16 stats).

Greg Monroe: 15.3 points, 8.8 rebounds, 7.5 win share

Michael Carter-Williams: 11.5 points, 5.2 assists, 1.5 steals, 1.2 win share

John Henson: 1.9 blocks, 3.9 rebounds, 2.3 win share

Mirza Teletovic: 12.2 points, 3.8 rebounds, 3.8 win share

Jason Terry: 5.9 points, 1.4 assists, 1.5 win share

Michael Beasley: 12.8 points, 4.9 rebounds, 1.0 win share

They’ll also have first-round draft pick Thon Maker contributing solid minutes in a reserve role. The 7-foot-1 rookie will bring a unique skill set to the floor with the second team.

Of course, the numbers won’t translate the same to this year’s squad. But if you just roughly totaled some of the stats, it’s rather impressive.

Mirza Teletovic was signed by the Bucks this offseason and is expected to play a big role off the bench. Photo Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports /

That bench accounted for around 60 points, more than 20 rebounds, and a total win share of 17.3 last year. That raw snapshot of the numbers is impressive, and doesn’t include Maker.

Looking at it from a less statistical view, this group of Milwaukee Bucks is an interesting mix that poses problems for most other teams’ backups.

Monroe has a chance to absolutely dominate the post on offense. He was terrific at that end of the floor as a starter, and this year he’d been almost always be opposing a 2nd-tier big man. Even his defense would be less of a negative minus the other club’s top scorers.

Keeping Monroe and Parker off the floor together will save Jason Kidd a ton of headaches on the defensive side of the ball.

Carter-Williams, while often frustrating Bucks’ fans with his propensity for turnovers and inconsistent shot, still brings size and talent that’s tough for most reserves to equal.

He remains a terrific defender as his length disrupts a lot of guards, ranking second in steals per game (1.5) and third in blocks per game (0.8) on the Bucks last year.

Henson also brings a defensive presence around the rim, something that would be vital next to Monroe in the front court.

Of course, Kidd’s greatest challenge will be getting everyone enough minutes, at the right time, with the best mix of players on the floor together.

It will also be intriguing to see how Kidd and company use Maker, the wiry forward/center who some have doubts about. Still, GM John Hammond liked him enough to take him with the 10th overall pick.

Reports say he is intelligent on the court, can run the floor, and will play physical when he has to.

Considering his lack of bulk, Maker plays more like a small forward, which might work well on the second team.

Teletovic will be the most interesting to keep an eye on. The talent is clearly there, but rumors of a lack of discipline and focus have recently come out.

He should provide some sound outside shooting to add points off the bench. However, he could be a liability on defense – though not as much when facing other teams’ reserves.

Throw in veterans like Terry and Beasley, and it’s a strong unit that can step into various situations. If some of the starters are struggling, Kidd would have no trouble throwing in a few of these guys immediately.

Need a defensive focus or a low-post presence? He can make some quick switches. Kidd will be able to mix and match for any matchup against any team.

Put all of this together and you will have the best bench in the NBA.

On the bench, the Milwaukee Bucks have flexibility, versatility, and a mix of youth and veterans. They also present a unique combo of offensive and defensive skill sets.

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As noted above, the one thing that could change all this would be a trade or two. But even if Monroe or Carter-Williams are dealt for an impact shooter (for example), they still have depth.

Let’s just say two guys get swapped for a starting quality two guard, now Brogdon moves to the bench and they barely miss a beat.

The bulk of the scoring needs to come from Giannis, Parker and to a lesser extent, Dellevedova. Many of the other guys simply need to chip in across different stat lines.

Next: Milwaukee Bucks: The Role of Michael Carter-Williams

Of course, Kidd’s greatest challenge will be getting everyone enough minutes, at the right time, with the best mix of players on the floor together.

If he can be a maestro as the season wears on, the Milwaukee Bucks will dominate the league in any battle of the benches.

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