Milwaukee Bucks Roster 2021 Milwaukee Bucks Roster

2021 Milwaukee Bucks Roster Top Questions

Offense

There were some concerns that the Bucks were losing some offensive talent when they basically let Malcolm Brogdon walk in the 2019 offseason, but they’ve built some good depth at several positions.

Giannis is obviously their go-to offensive threat. While he has some holes in his offensive game, specifically pulling up from mid-range or deep, he’s tough to stop as it is, especially in transition when he’s headed straight to the basket like a high-speed locomotive. His combination of speed and strength make him a rarity at his position, so stopping him from penetrating into the lane for fast-break buckets and dunks is usually something that takes two players and you pretty much have to make that a priority once he gets on the perimeter.

When Giannis does get doubled, the Bucks have several other options. Eric Bledsoe does a good job of setting up the offense, but he also assesses the defense and will kick it into high gear and look to attack and get to the basket if he sees a mismatch.

He is best penetrating and working around the rim. He may be a bit undersized at 6-1, but he has the muscle to make up for that, which allows him to bully other point guards as he’s able to get into the paint. Bledsoe does have his faults, though. When he tried to be a jump shooter, that doesn’t work well with his skill set. He’s a good distributor, but he sometimes makes bad decisions. If he drives not knowing what he’s going to do, he sometimes forces passes that are turned into turnovers, although he’s shown improvement in this area.

One of the unsung heroes on the Bucks’ roster is Khris Middleton. He was just locked up to a long-term contract, and it’s clear why. While there is no doubt this is Giannis’ team, they become that more dangerous with Middleton. They were the league’s best offense this past season, with a ton of that credit due to Middleton, who had to step up as the number one option when Giannis was injured, and he was also a facilitator when George Hill was out for some time.

Middleton, often mentioned as a 3&D player, is so much more than that. He is so much more versatile offensively than he was years ago. He can still shoot from long range, but he’s also able to take his defender off the dribble, and has the size at 6-7 to have his way inside.

The two biggest issues for Bledsoe and Middleton lately have been their tendency to fade in important playoffs series. Two years ago, it was Bledsoe, who tried to engage in a personal battle with Terry Rozier and let Rozier get the better of him on a few occasions. Last year, it was Middleton against the Raptors. If both players are playing solid basketball alongside Giannis. They are tough to stop.

Milwaukee has done a good job of surrounding that trio with solid role players who offer complementary skills. Brook Lopez has an inside-out game, and while inconsistent, Wesley Matthews is capable of providing an offensive spark. Off the bench, the Bucks have a capable scoring duo of George Hill and Donte DiVincenzo.

Hill is a playoff-tested veteran, who not only makes the smart decisions offensively, but he can also create offense. He can drive, as has always been part of his skill set, but he was deadly from beyond the arch last season for the Bucks.

DiVincenzo had a nice sophomore campaign, and he was asked to play a bigger role when other players were injured. He averaged 9.4 points per game, but he was on quite a tear before play was suspended.

Ersan Ilyasova has been another player that has been asked to step into the starting lineup and play a bigger role at times. Off the bench, he’s capable of knocking down three-pointers, as is Kyle Korver, and Robin Lopez gives the Bucks a rim runner who can clean up on the boards and put shots back up. To round it all out, Pat Connaughton adds a dynamic scorer and the Bucks are still unsure what they’ll be getting with their signing of Marvin Williams.

Defense

Perhaps the best thing about the way Milwaukee’s roster was built was that they have a number of solid two-way players and they do not feature too many one-trick ponies.

Bledsoe is a bulldog of a defender at point guard, and despite the height disparity with many other point guards, he loves the challenge. He’ll muscle players as soon as they cross the timeline and try to get them to pass or force them into bad shots.

Khris Middleton may not get the respect he deserves, but he was locking players down on defense well before he became an All-Star. His size gives him the versatility to defend multiple positions, which can also be said of Giannis Antetokounmpo, who can defend out on the perimeter and be a presence near the basket.

Brook Lopez is a rim protector down in the paint, and having Robin Lopez come off the bench able to play in the same defensive role is a luxury for the Bucks. When Eric Bledsoe heads to the paint, George Hill is also a more than capable defender.

Coaching

Mike Budenholzer is yet another NBA coach who is part of Gregg Popovich’s coaching tree. Budenholzer had the luxury of working with Popovich in a system that was known for competing for championships and has had a winning culture for decades.

When he was hired by the Bucks, some of the reasons why he was selected were that he could teach and he could build a winning culture. That was proven to be true almost instantly.

Aside from that, Budenholzer seems to have the ability to instill confidence in his players. Where they are now, with the confidence to think they can beat anyone, is a far cry from the pre-Budenholzer days. He’s also been able to adapt well. Losing Malcolm Brogdon was tough, but Budenholzer countered by leaning on Donte DiVincenzo, who seemed to believe in himself with the confidence shown him and has stepped up in situations where the team needs him.

2021 Outlook

The Bucks have to be looked at as a favorite to get to the NBA Finals. They’ve been built well, have the right coach in place, and they have extended the players that are very important to their success.

If they can fill out their roster with some solid role players, it would take some major bad luck to keep them from being favorites to make another deep run into the playoffs and possibly the NBA Finals.

Milwaukee Bucks Roster FAQ

• Can the Bucks keep Giannis in Milwaukee by extending him to the supermax?

• Can Bledsoe and Middleton stay consistent through a playoff run to have a realistic shot at a title or will Giannis have to carry the team again?

• Will Bucks be able to bring back players like Pat Connaughton and Kyle Korver or will they look to replace them with lower-cost options like they did in passing on re-signing Brogdon and Nikola Mirotic?

• Wesley Matthews and Robin Lopez have player options for 2020-2021. Will the Bucks also be forced to look for replacements for those players prior to the start of the season?

• Is Donte DiVincenzo the future starter at shooting guard?