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Milwaukee Bucks: Is Milwaukee the Second Coming of Golden State?

By Rohan Katti

Dec 12, 2015; Milwaukee, WI, USA; Milwaukee Bucks guard Michael Carter-Williams (5) reacts in front of Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) after a Bucks basket late in the fourth quarter at BMO Harris Bradley Center. The Bucks beat the Warriors 108-95. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 12, 2015; Milwaukee, WI, USA; Milwaukee Bucks guard Michael Carter-Williams (5) reacts in front of Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) after a Bucks basket late in the fourth quarter at BMO Harris Bradley Center. The Bucks beat the Warriors 108-95. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Golden State Warriors are the NBA’s best team, and are reasonably the favorite to win their second championship in three years. But how did they make that team a possibility and is it crazy to think Milwaukee is their heir?

The Milwaukee Bucks have been stuck in mediocrity for the last decade, but the future of the franchise has never been as bright. The Bucks are rocking a trio of All-Star caliber players, and a new ownership and coaching regime put this franchise in a position to contend for a title someday.

However, the way that Milwaukee has rebuilt itself is reminiscent of how a certain team out in California has made itself the class of the league.

The Golden State Warriors are the NBA’s best team, and are reasonably the favorite to win their second championship in three years. But how did they make that team a possibility and is it crazy to think Milwaukee is their heir?

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The Warriors used to be a free-agent wasteland. No one wanted to sign with them, no one wanted to play for them. In the 2008-09 season, they won a total of 29 games and found themselves with the seventh overall pick in the NBA draft.

The Warriors watched as Blake Griffin, Hasheem Thabeet, James Harden, Tyreke Evans, Ricky Rubio, and Jonny Flynn went off the board, so they took a flyer on a decent shooter named Stephen Curry out of Davidson. Most Bucks fans know how John Hammond take a chance on a kid from Greece named Giannis Antetokounmpo in the 2013 NBA draft.

Apr 30, 2015; Milwaukee, WI, USA; Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 30, 2015; Milwaukee, WI, USA; Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports /

The following season, the Warriors were even worse and won 26 games. However, the first major change for them came after their future star’s rookie season; they changed owners. Joe Lacob bought the team on July 15, 2010, and the culture around the team started to change.

The first draft for that new ownership netted them their second best player, Klay Thompson. If that seems familiar, it should. When Wes Edens, Marc Lasry, and Jamie Dinan bought the Bucks in 2014, the Bucks completely overhauled themselves. Also, their first draft pick was drafting the compliment to Giannis, Jabari Parker.

The 2011-12 season had the Warriors winning only 23 games under a new head coach in Mark Jackson. Klay Thompson found his way in to the starting lineup during the season, but still there was no major success with Steph Curry in the backcourt with him.

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The Warriors hit their stride in the 2013-14 season, where they finished with the sixth seed in the Western conference. However, they ultimately lost in the first round of the playoffs to the Clippers. In 2015-16, Giannis and Jabari played with each other for a full season for the first time, and it didn’t go well for them. Just like it didn’t go well for the Splash Brothers.

Within the 2013-14 season, Draymond Green emerged. He was a second round pick in 2012, who developed in to a player worthy of being part of the big three in Oakland. It just so happens that Khris Middleton was taken four picks after Green in that same draft.

Dec 12, 2015; Milwaukee, WI, USA; Milwaukee Bucks guard Khris Middleton (22) grabs a loose ball against Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green (23) in the fourth quarter at BMO Harris Bradley Center. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 12, 2015; Milwaukee, WI, USA; Milwaukee Bucks guard Khris Middleton (22) grabs a loose ball against Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green (23) in the fourth quarter at BMO Harris Bradley Center. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports /

Even though he was selected by the Pistons and traded to the Bucks in 2013, Middleton came in to his own with the Bucks who formed their big three with him, Giannis and Jabari.

The 2014-15 NBA season is when Golden State took it to another level. New head coach Steve Kerr implemented small-ball, which revolutionized the league. The league had no answer to this team, and they won the NBA title in 2015, their first since 1975.

This is where the Bucks can project in the future. Instead of small-ball, the Bucks and Jason Kidd and building Team All-Length (thank you Thon Maker).

Milwaukee has a chance to take the league by storm with their own unique style of play. Maybe the league will have no answer for the Bucks game.

Next: Milwaukee Bucks: Do the Bucks Need to Make Another Move?

The Milwaukee Bucks and the Golden State Warriors are in two completely different classes of the NBA. However, the paths in which both teams are building/have built championship caliber teams are scarily similar, which can only mean good things for Bucks fans going forward.

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