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Milwaukee Bucks Gaming roster likely set for change in year two

By Adam McGee

LONG ISLAND CITY, NY - JULY 27: Bucks Gaming huddles prior to the game against the Knicks Gaming on July 27, 2018 at the NBA 2K Studio in Long Island City, New York. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Alex Nahorniak-Svenski/NBAE via Getty Images)
LONG ISLAND CITY, NY - JULY 27: Bucks Gaming huddles prior to the game against the Knicks Gaming on July 27, 2018 at the NBA 2K Studio in Long Island City, New York. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Alex Nahorniak-Svenski/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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As the NBA 2K League revealed its plans for its second season, great change is likely on the horizon for the Milwaukee Bucks Gaming team’s roster.

With the first season of the NBA 2K League in the books, its already time for the league’s teams, including the Milwaukee Bucks’ affiliated Bucks Gaming, to start looking to the future.

The first season of the league could certainly be deemed a success overall, with countless entertaining games, exciting midseason tournaments and an underdog champion coming to the fore in Knicks Gaming.

For Bucks Gaming, though, there’s no doubt that there’s still plenty of room for improvement heading into year two. The Bucks finished the season with a record of 6-8, leaving them 11th out of 17 teams in the standings, and unfortunately missing out on the playoffs.

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As Bucks Gaming will be among the teams looking to take a major stride forward in 2019, the question of how exactly teams could look to do that remained a mystery up until very recently when the 2K League’s Competition Committee released details of their upcoming expansion.

With franchise’s affiliated with the Atlanta Hawks, Brooklyn Nets, Los Angeles Lakers and Minnesota Timberwolves all set to join the league, the league will be staging an expansion draft in the fall. Heading into that, the league’s existing 17 teams were tasked with choosing two of the six players from their roster in year one to be protected.

As news of those protected players trickled out from teams in recent days, the Bucks shared their own decision to retain Game6Drake and BigMeek.

https://twitter.com/BucksGG/status/1037079288481234949

Game6Drake, otherwise known as Aaron Rookwood, was selected with Bucks Gaming’s first round pick in the original 2K League Draft. Drake averaged 16.3 points and 8.3 assists per game, playing mostly at point guard, although he did see his role shift around as the Bucks tried desperately to find a winning formula.

By comparison, Jovan Tenner, who goes by BigMeek, was a surprise success story for the Bucks considering his status as the team’s final pick and the 93rd player drafted out of a total of 102. BigMeek started the season sitting out a couple of his team’s opening games, yet eventually grabbed a starting spot and established himself as a rare and refreshing picture of consistency for the Bucks at the power forward spot. For the season overall, BigMeek finished with averages of 13.6 points and 6.5 rebounds per game.

As a result of that decision STL2LA, KingPeroxide, Procis1on, and oLarry, who was thankfully recently released from hospital following the injuries he suffered in the Jacksonville shooting, will all be available for the four expansion franchises to grab with one of their two selections.

With only eight players set to be picked in the expansion draft out of a pool of 68 players, there’s still a chance that some of Bucks Gaming’s first year players could return. Following the expansion draft, teams will have an option to retain up to two more of their first year players at the cost of forfeiting draft picks as compensation.

If a team has lost a player in the expansion draft, the cost of keeping one player is a third round pick, with an additional returning player costing a second rounder. Meanwhile, if a team hasn’t lost a player in the expansion draft, the cost for retaining one player is a second round pick, and an additional player would require a first round pick to be surrendered too.

Away from the various potential results of the expansion draft, teams will also be allowed to make up to a total of two trades each, either between September 25-October 8 or in a yet to be determined period during the season.

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Regardless of how it comes about, it seems as if change will be inevitable for Bucks Gaming before they’re next in action in the new season. The only question that remains is just how many new faces will make up the team.

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