The Milwaukee Bucks' roster will look very different from the group that ended last season. This was needed after a disappointing campaign. The Giannis Antetokounmpo era is over, and the Bucks have turned over a new leaf with new head coach Taylor Jenkins.
There will be a lot of new faces on the team for Bucks fans. Between the rookies Nate Ament, Brayden Burries, and Bogoljub Markovic and trade acquisitions Kasparas Jakucionis, Tyler Herro, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Kel'el Ware, and Caris LeVert, there are eight newcomers on the team.
This means that there will be some growing pains. This team will not only lack continuity, but they also don't have the necessary experience. It might take Jenkins to find the right combinations and create the optimal ecosystem for player development.
With so many personnel changes, it's important to take stock of who is on the roster, who is expected to start, and who is on the outside looking in.
Bucks depth chart
PG | SG | SF | PF | C |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Ryan Rollins | Tyler Herro | Jaime Jaquez | Nate Ament | Myles Turner |
Kasparas Jakucionis | Brayden Burries | AJ Green | Ousmane Dieng | Kel'el Ware |
Kevin Porter Jr. | Caris LeVert | Kyle Kuzma | Bogoljub Markovic | Jericho Sims |
For a team without serious playoff aspirations, the Bucks have a ton of depth. How Jenkins uses this depth remains to be seen. As things stand now, the guaranteed starters are Rollins, Herro, and Turner. The remaining two spots should be considered up for grabs.
Jaquez is the only proven rotation-caliber small forward on the team, so one has to assume that he would get the nod.
The other forward spot is a weakness for the team. Kyle Kuzma could start at first as the experienced veteran. Eventually, one has to assume that one of Ament or Dieng would take over.
Ware starting next to Turner in two-big lineups shouldn't be ruled out either. Starting Green at the three and having Jaquez guard power forward could also be an intriguing option, but the defensive concerns may be too big in that scenario.
The crowded backcourt is an issue the Bucks have to solve. Since Jakucionis and Burries both have to get minutes, LeVert and Porter Jr. get squeezed. It will be impossible to play all six of these guards when they are all healthy.
Markovic and Sims are the only two players who are presumably not going to be in the rotation when everyone is healthy. Besides those two bigs, the other 13 players have arguments to be in the rotation.
This means that Jenkins has some tough decisions to make. Some of the veterans may start the season in the rotation until they are inevitably moved at the trade deadline. This depth chart could end up looking very different in the spring than it does now.
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