Milwaukee Bucks starting lineup: Locks, fringe, potential break-ins
The Milwaukee Bucks made extensive moves to transform their roster this offseason, so let’s dive into what their starting lineup will now look like.
It sure was a busy offseason for the Milwaukee Bucks. As anticipated, Bucks’ general manager Jon Horst and the front office clearly made aggressive and somewhat desperate moves to boost their chances of claiming an NBA championship for just the second time in franchise history.
After falling short of their high expectations in the bubble, Milwaukee now looks like a different, but improved team on both sides of the floor. On paper, it certainly seems that this team is destined for greater success and capable of winning it all.
Related Story. James Harden and 5 players who need a trade this season. light
The Bucks’ offseason was highlighted by acquiring two-way star Jrue Holiday via trade from New Orleans, and followed by the free agency additions of D.J. Augustin, Bobby Portis, Torrey Craig, and Bryn Forbes after selecting Jordan Nwora and Sam Merrill in the second round of the 2020 NBA Draft.
Milwaukee parted ways with Eric Bledsoe, George Hill, Wesley Matthews, Robin Lopez, Ersan Ilyasova, Sterling Brown, Kyle Korver, and Marvin Williams (retired).
Pat Connaughton was the only Buck that re-signed with the team, and he cashed in on an eyebrow-raising three-year, $16 million contract. Connaughton would join Giannis Antetokounmpo, Khris Middleton, Brook Lopez, Donte DiVincenzo, D.J. Wilson, and Thanasis Antetokounmpo as the only players to remain on the Milwaukee Bucks from last season’s roster.
DiVincenzo and Wilson were reportedly nearly traded as a part of the unjustifiably nixed Bogdan Bogdanovic trade, but they will enter this season as members of the Bucks. Bogdanovic would have been another essential upgrade to the backcourt, but the Bucks should be just fine without him.
With all the departures from last year’s squad, including the starting backcourt, the important question looms of what the starting lineup will look like for the Milwaukee Bucks this season.
There are many options that head coach Mike Budenholzer and the Bucks will have due to all the new faces entering the picture, so let’s go through which players are locks to be part of the starting lineup, the players on the fringe of becoming a starter, and the potential break-ins.