Milwaukee Bucks: 3 big questions heading into 2018-19 NBA season
2. Which player(s) will take a step forward?
The Milwaukee Bucks’ rise from a team warbling in and out of the playoffs to a squad expected to make it every season has largely come on the back of Giannis Antetokounmpo. He has improved every season he has been in the league, capping that growth with a sixth-place finish in the MVP race last season.
The rest of the roster has struggled to keep up. Khris Middleton has grown from a solid role player to a capable wingman. Yet where else on the roster have players met their potential, let alone exceeded it? Jabari Parker fought injuries and inconsistency to a ticket out of town. Rashad Vaughn is out of the league. Thon Maker has shown up for the playoffs and little else.
Maker is perhaps the most important player on this roster from a developmental viewpoint. The 10th overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft, his showings in the last two postseasons have been of a productive unicorn-type player, swatting shots and nailing jumpers. Can he finally put the package together and become a reliable rotation player during the regular season? A starter-level Maker unlocks offensive and defensive upside for this team.
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Other options for a step forward exist up and down the roster. Eric Bledsoe had the most inconsistent season of any Buck last year, sometimes looking like an All-Star and other times the worst player on the court. Can he be the top-15 point guard the Bucks thought they were trading for?
Younger players on this roster could develop as well. D.J. Wilson was unable to contribute in his rookie season. As a sophomore, can he prove he belongs on the roster? Donte DiVincenzo and Sterling Brown will likely be battling for the same minutes, and both have upside to be full-time rotation pieces. Can Tony Snell add any off-the-dribble creation? Can Malcolm Brogdon be relied upon in the starting lineup?
Even with all of these potential growth candidates, the key player is still Giannis Antetokounmpo. Another step forward would likely mean an MVP award, a playoff series win, and potentially more. Still just 23 years old, the Greek Freak could still grow into an even more dangerous player.
I still have faith in Thon Maker, and I think he will begin to put things together this season. Sterling Brown is also a player who should end the season as an every-game rotation player, and the star of this squad should thrive in a new scheme and push for the MVP award.