Sterling Brown
Prediction: Will play over 1,000 minutes this season
Why it will happen: Last season, Brown only appeared in 54 games and played a total of 776 minutes. Most of those came in the second half of the season after being practically invisible in the first couple months of the year.
Brown, though, in his limited playing time showed he’s poised for a second-year jump that will mean an uptick in minutes played. He showed in his four years in college at Southern Methodist University and in brief flashes last season that he can shoot it from deep.
For approximately the 800th time in this post, I’ll mention that Budenholzer likes shooters.
Plus, Brown’s high-energy defense and solid size could make him a favorite off the bench for Budenholzer, who cherishes wings that are able to both shoot and guard multiple positions.
With a full NBA offseason under his belt, Brown is ready to be a regular rotation player for the Bucks.
Why it won’t happen: The rotation on the perimeter is more crowded than last year with the presence of Connaughton, DiVincenzo and Muhammad. Connaughton offers more experience, better athleticism and similar shooting prowess to Brown.
DiVincenzo’s transition to the NBA has been rough so far, but once he adapts and hones in his shooting stroke, his athleticism and passing could be a valuable asset off the bench for Budenholzer.