Milwaukee Bucks: The rotation is a disaster

By Josh Cornelissen | Nov 27, 2017

Photo by Gene Sweeney Jr./Getty Images /

The Milwaukee Bucks were supposed to be a rising contender in the East. Instead, injuries and poor coaching have this team’s rotation in disarray.

Superstars dominate the basketball court, putting up insane statistics and dazzling highlights. It is easy to assume that these players rise above simple things like who they share the floor with. But as the Milwaukee Bucks are learning, a proper rotation is vital to a successful team.

Over the past two weeks head coach Jason Kidd has been tinkering nearly nonstop with his rotations, swapping various players in and out while trying a plethora of starting lineups. As he has shifted things around the Bucks have struggled, losing three of their last four.

First we’ll touch on why Kidd is rearranging his rotations. The most obvious answer is injuries, which the Bucks are quickly gathering. Jabari Parker has been out since February and will most likely not be returning soon. This team is also dealing with more short-term losses to many key reserves, with Matthew Dellavedova and Mirza Teletovic both sidelined for the foreseeable future.

That is certainly part of the problem, but it is not the only issue. Kidd has shown flashes of being a shrewd rotation manager since arriving in Milwaukee, such as running the bench offense around Greg Monroe and starting rookie Thon Maker last season.

Yet increasingly as the games have been logged Kidd has lost his touch, cycling through options at a nearly frenetic pace. A player may be a healthy scratch one night, and the next is inserted into the starting lineup. The lack of consistency or semblance of a plan is jarring.

More from Milwaukee Bucks

Against the Detroit Pistons on Nov. 13, Kidd trotted out his normal starting lineup since the Eric Bledsoe trade: Giannis Antetokounmpo, Khris Middleton, Bledsoe, Tony Snell and John Henson. Thon Maker, Malcolm Brogdon and DeAndre Liggins rounded out the rotation. The Bucks won by four.

The next game saw the same rotation blown out by the lowly Dallas Mavericks in an ugly 111-79 loss. Kidd’s response was to begin to seriously shake things up. In a 10-point loss to the Washington Wizards, Gary Payton II found himself playing significant minutes. He then started the Bucks’ last two games in place of Tony Snell. For reference, Payton is on a non-guaranteed contract as the roster’s 15th man, and Snell just signed a $46 million contract this offseason.

With center John Henson out against the Phoenix Suns, Kidd moved Thon Maker into the starting lineup and added Joel Bolomboy to the rotation — a necessary move with Greg Monroe now playing in Phoenix and all other available centers injured. When Maker fouled out, Kidd was forced to close with Bolomboy at center. This one was not Kidd’s fault, but only adds to the rotational mess.

Injuries happen to every team, and a coach generally cannot be blamed for them. But Kidd’s rotations trying to compensate for the lost players have often been head-scratching. And is it a goal this year to develop young players? If so, Maker should be starting every game as he develops into the center this team needs. Henson came back against the Jazz and promptly sent Maker to the bench.

Henson has been solid this year, perhaps better than expected. But he has already shown the league what sort of player he is, and his ceiling is nowhere near that of Maker’s. In addition, the spacing introduced by Maker gives Bledsoe and Antetokounmpo more room to operate, a huge need for this Bucks team. Is Kidd playing for a slightly better today or a much better tomorrow?

The same sentiment holds true for the wing rotation. With Teletovic out, now would be the perfect time to allow first-round pick D.J. Wilson to see the court. Instead Kidd is sliding Middleton down to the 4 when Antetokounmpo is on the bench. And rather than play Sterling Brown or Rashad Vaughn, Kidd is handing heavy minutes to Payton and Liggins.

Kidd seems to be confused with how to handle the short- and long-term goals of this team. He is swapping out players frantically to find a combination that works. The injuries certainly aren’t helping. But no matter the problem, more Gary Payton II or Joel Bolomboy is not the answer. Kidd needs to rest on the players he knows will help this team win, and fill in the gaps with young players who need to be prepared to contribute down the road.

Next: Milwaukee Bucks: Grading the starters after 1 month of games

Whether Kidd can figure out his rotations will be a key storyline for the remainder of the season, even as injured players return. If he cannot, then this may be the season that the rise of Giannis Antetokounmpo cannot cover up Kidd’s glaring flaws.

Home/Milwaukee Bucks