Milwaukee Bucks: 4 Things To Look For This Season

4. Can Giannis Take The Leap?

There are few players that embody the direction the modern NBA is taking quite like Giannis Antetokounmpo. While the Golden State Warriors are making small ball popular, the strength of what they do is due to position-less basketball.

We are seeing more and more players that are able to do things not typically expected from someone their size. Taller players are beginning to have perimeter skill-sets and possess more well rounded games.

It has been a necessary adaptation to prevent being run out of the league by small ball.

Antetokounmpo is a unique case, as he grew up playing on the wing and had a growth spurt after being drafted by the Bucks. Down the stretch of last season, he excelled initiating the offense at 6’11” with a 7’3″ wingspan (assuming he didn’t continue growing as I write this).

Having a combo-guard at the point guard position in Matthew Dellavedova should help him realize his potential. Dellavedova will provide him space to operate the offense, as well as secondary ball handling to utilize Giannis as a roll man in the pick and roll.

Part of what made the Warriors offense lethal is Draymond Green‘s passing ability as the roll man. Having someone with the vision and height of Antetokounmpo rolling to the basket is an asset for Kidd. As it provides him with many offensive wrinkles he can implement.

With his physical tools and potential, he could easily become the next perimeter superstar in the NBA. He averaged 18.8 points, 8.6 rebounds and 7.2 assists a game after the All-Star break last season.

More hoops habit: The NBA's 50 Greatest Players of All-Time

He, more than anybody else, is the future of the Milwaukee Bucks; and if the team is lucky, he could be the future of the NBA.