Odds are the Bucks won't be competing for the postseason this year. And there won't be any reason to keep tabs on the draft either since the Bucks are sending their pick to the Pelicans. Which means this year will be entirely about the players currently on the roster in the first season of the post-Giannis era.
Acquiring a pile of draft picks, plus a pile of young players, is what made the trade return from the Heat for Antetokounmpo so appealing. Tyler Herro is 26. Jaime Jaquez is 25. Kel'el Ware is 22. Kasparas Jakučionis is 20. On top of all the youth Milwaukee already had, the front office is in a position where it can evaluate the entire roster and decide who's a keeper.
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How the youth develops is obviously the most important storyline to monitor in Milwaukee this season: Will Brayden Burries or Nate Ament look like a future star? Could Ryan Rollins take another leap? How will all the pieces from Miami look?
But whether the Bucks' front office can turn players into assets matters too. And already front-office executives around the league are chirping about how the Bucks are a team that could be targeted because they still have something a lot of teams wish they had: Big men who can shoot 3s and protect the rim.
Ware and Myles Turner could help Milwaukee figure out what comes next, or they could help somebody else win a championship.
Ware never really earned the trust of Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra, so it'll be fascinating to see what he does with a longer leash under new head coach Taylor Jenkins. On one hand, his raw numbers are amazing: Ware averaged 11.1 points, 9 boards and 1.1 blocks in only 22.1 minutes while shooting nearly 40% from 3. But his defensive effort and focus came and went, so Spo never could empower him with more consistent minutes. But if he starts defending with more consistency and keeps making 3s, why wouldn't Milwaukee want to keep him?
Whereas, Turner is 30 years old and a proven commodity who can play with pace, drain 3s and block shots. He's just one year removed from being a pivotal piece on a Finals team. It's more realistic that the Bucks will be motivated to move Turner, not Ware. But there's nothing stopping Milwaukee from entertaining offers for both of them, or any of the players on the roster during this transitional year.
For Turner or Ware, I would argue that seven of the top 13 teams in my power rankings should have interest: the Celtics, Knicks, Lakers, Pistons, Raptors, Sixers and Timberwolves. If teams like the Bulls, Magic and Mavericks end up being competitive, then Turner or Ware could make sense for them too. That's 10 teams!
As for the Bucks: I put them 28th in my power rankings. Some fans took issue with that spot. Since the team has no incentive to be in the lottery, there's no reason to lose. And since they have a bunch of good young players, then the team could end up exceeding expectations. So maybe that's true. And you know what? Fair.
The trade deadline is months away. Right now, the Bucks need to find out what they actually have across the roster, and in particular with those two bigs. Can Jenkins get more consistent effort out of Ware? Can Ware and Turner share the floor together, giving Milwaukee two rim protectors without sacrificing spacing? And how much could Turner's veteran presence help all the young guards develop?
As much as fans of other teams might look to Milwaukee for trade machine fantasies this season, the Bucks also will see value in keeping what they have. The Bucks already made the trade that changed the direction of the franchise. This season should help them figure out their next one.
