The Giannis Antetokounmpo era is over in Milwaukee after 13 seasons. For the first time in a while, the Bucks will enter the season more focused on their future rather than the present. The development of their young players will take precedence over results.
The Bucks have a ton of intriguing young players on the roster thanks to their return in the Giannis trade and their two lottery picks in the draft. This means that there will be a lot of mouths to feed. Not every player can get as much studio space to explore. This will limit the development opportunities for a few young Bucks.
Which of these developmental projects should the franchise prioritize? Who will be the most important Bucks going forward?
3- Nate Ament
The 13th-overall pick has the physical tools to be a prototypical, modern NBA wing, but has a long way to go. He is a raw prospect who has to show improvement in all aspects of the game. Fortunately, he doesn't turn 20 until December, giving him ample time to become the player the Bucks are hoping for.
Ament projects to be a toolsy, all-around combo forward. If he can reach his potential, he has a chance to be a two-way wing who can shoot, pass, dribble, and defend. That is the rarest and most valuable player type in the league.
That is exactly why the Bucks have to be patient with him and prioritize his development.
2- Ryan Rollins
The 24-year-old guard became an afterthought after all the offseason moves the Bucks made. However, he remains one of the most important members of this team in the present and the future.
Rollins established himself as a quality starting point guard in the NBA last season. He averaged 17.3 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 5.6 assists per game on 47.2/40.6/79.6 shooting splits. He was able to maintain his efficiency despite increasing his usage rate from 18.4% a season ago to 24.2%.
This proves that Rollins is able to scale up in a large role. As a full-time starter for the first time in his career, Rollins maintained his two-way impact and was a positive defender. He continued to hit over 40% from three despite taking a lot more threes.
Thanks to his solid positional size and the ability to play on or off the ball, Rollins has no weaknesses in his game. This makes him an excellent fit on any team, including any future iteration of the Bucks. Once his $4 million contract expires at the end of next season, the Bucks have no choice but to give him a lucrative, long-term extension.
1- Brayden Burries
How quickly the Bucks will be able to turn things around and become a relevant team will depend on Burries. The talented rookie's development will be the main deciding factor for how bright the Bucks' future is.
The No. 10 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft showed impressive flashes in the Summer League and signaled a star upside. He averaged 21.2 points, 4.0 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 1.6 steals, and 0.8 blocks in less than 25 minutes per game in Las Vegas. He never turns the ball over, can create for himself and others, and scores the ball efficiently.
On top of it all, he projects to be a very good defender. Not only can he guard multiple positions, but he makes a ton of plays as a help defender.
The most difficult part of any rebuild is finding your best player of the future. It's obviously extremely early, but Burries is the only player on the Bucks who has the potential to be the best player on a very good team, making him the player Milwaukee has to be building around going forward.
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