Milwaukee Bucks: Ranking the 2019-20 roster

The Milwaukee Bucks are set for a big 2019-20 season. Let’s take a moment and rank their roster from one to fifteen.

The Milwaukee Bucks roster appears to be set now that they finally have all 15 spots filled. They have steadily added players to their team throughout the month of July as guys such as Thanasis Antetokounmpo, Kyle Korver and Dragan Bender have rounded out their team. The Bucks could still add a few guys on non-guaranteed deals, but they’d have to cut someone, likely Bender, in order to keep them on their roster at the beginning of the season.

All in all, Milwaukee has 17 guys under contract-15 roster spots and two two-way contracts. Head coach Mike Budenholzer will have his work cut out for him as the season approaches. This is a very deep and talented team and there will be some good ball-players stuck on the bench at various points. In order to get a better idea about who fits where in the pecking order, let’s rank the current Bucks from 17 to one.

17. Thanasis Antetokounmpo

There have been rumblings about the real reason Thanasis Antetokounmpo was given a two-year guaranteed contract with the Bucks. And those rumblings might not be wrong. He has a lot to prove at this level after failing to produce early on in his NBA career.

16. Cameron Reynolds

Cameron Reynolds signed a two-way deal with Milwaukee and this kid can shoot. He made 41.2 percent of his 51 three-point attempts with the Minnesota Timberwolves last season. This included a 19-point game where he went 5 of 7 from behind the arc. He’s an interesting two-way signing.

15. Frank Mason

Frank Mason has the other two-way deal. It’s a smart pickup for Milwaukee, as he will be their emergency point guard. Mason has some NBA experience and will fill Tim Frazier’s role from last season.

14. Dragan Bender

Dragan Bender is another interesting young player. After flaming out of Phoenix (pun intended) following his status as a fourth overall pick, Bender gets another shot and he’s still just 21-years-old.

13. Donte DiVincenzo

This is where things begin to get tricky on the rankings. Donte DiVincenzo was the first man off the bench last season and could earn that spot again if he’s healthy. However, his three-point shot was broke last year and he’ll have to hit outside shots to stick in the rotation.

12. Kyle Korver

Speaking of three-point shooting, that’s about all Kyle Korver can do these days. At 38, he shouldn’t be expected to produce much else. Regardless, that’s a very valuable attribute he brings to the table.

11. D.J. Wilson

D.J. Wilson could easily be anywhere between 13 to 9 on this list depending on who you ask. I’ll put him solidly in the middle of that grouping. He flashed some brilliance last year, but I need to see more of it to believe it.

10. Sterling Brown

Sterling Brown is another player who had flashes last year. He was in and out of the lineup and even played well down the stretch. He also started the entire first round playoff series against the Detroit Pistons and Game 1 against the Boston Celtics. There are backup wing minutes to be earned with Malcolm Brogdon’s departure and Brown is on the long list of Bucks who will be vying for that time.

9. Pat Connaughton

Pat Connaughton rounds out the part of the rankings that’s really up in the air. He finished the postseason on a strong note, as he had a few very good games throughout the playoffs. He hopes to carry that momentum into the season.

8. Robin Lopez

Robin Lopez will get the majority of the backup center minutes available and will provide the Bucks with good interior defense. The major question is about his fit and whether or not he can begin to hit shots from behind the arc.

7. Ersan Ilyasova

This may end up being a vast overranking of Ersan Ilyasova, as I wouldn’t be surprised if he ends up closer to 12 by the end of the season. However, I believe he still has a little left in the tank and could hit more outside shots than last season.

6. George Hill

This ranking is assuming we get some combination of regular season and postseason George Hill. Hill was trash until the home stretch and then carried that momentum into the postseason. It certainly looked like he gained his legs and we’ll see if he can keep that going this season.

5. Wesley Matthews

Wesley Matthews will be penciled in as the Bucks’ fifth starter to begin the season. However, don’t expect him to receive a ton of playing time as Budenholzer tries to find the right recipe for the shooting guard position.

4. Brook Lopez

Brook Lopez had a fantastic first season in Milwaukee and signed on for four more. He’s a great rim protector and three-point shooter. That’s a rare combination for a seven-footer.

3. Eric Bledsoe

Eric Bledsoe has more ups and downs than anyone. When he’s at his best, he can be an elite attacker and defender while maintain adequate shooting. The Bucks will need that version of him if they want to achieve their ultimate goal of an NBA Championship.

2. Khris Middleton

Khris Middleton is as close to a second star as the Bucks will get with Giannis Antetokounmpo. Some fans may rag on him, but he’s a great compliment to the Bucks’ star.

1. Giannis Antetokounmpo

We all knew he was going to end up at number one on this list. He’s not only the best player on the Bucks, but the best player in the world.