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Milwaukee Bucks: 3 biggest ‘what ifs’ during the Bucks’ early 2010s run

By Jordan Treske

ATLANTA - APRIL 20: (L-R) Brandon Jennings #3, Kurt Thomas #40, John Salmons #15, Andrew Bogut #6 and Carlos Delfino #10 of the Milwaukee Bucks look on from the bench in the final minute of their 96-86 loss to the Atlanta Hawks at Philips Arena on April 20, 2010 in Atlanta, Georgia. 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. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
ATLANTA - APRIL 20: (L-R) Brandon Jennings #3, Kurt Thomas #40, John Salmons #15, Andrew Bogut #6 and Carlos Delfino #10 of the Milwaukee Bucks look on from the bench in the final minute of their 96-86 loss to the Atlanta Hawks at Philips Arena on April 20, 2010 in Atlanta, Georgia. 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. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) /
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Milwaukee Bucks
NEW YORK, NY – FEBRUARY 19: (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) /

The Milwaukee Bucks were defined by their mediocrity during the early 2010s, but plenty of franchise-altering moments set the stage for their middling play.

The Milwaukee Bucks currently stand as the cream of the crop in the NBA, even in spite of the coronavirus pandemic pausing play to the 2019-20 season.

But before they climbed to the top of the league as they have done the last two seasons, before they had a promising core headlined by superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo, All-Star forward Khris Middleton as well as Eric Bledsoe and Brook Lopez, the Bucks were stuck in the middle.

More from Bucks History

The Bucks of the early 2010s operated as if they had no future and constantly played for the present. In some ways, that statement proved to be all too real, given the threat of relocation had the state of the art Fiserv Forum not been built.

But despite their efforts to compete for the playoffs and hopefully beyond, the Bucks were stuck in an endless loop, always landing in the very area they aspired to get out of: the middle.

It was a different time, different era and a wholly unrecognizable team from the top down compared to the current squad led by Antetokounmpo, Bucks head coach Mike Budenholzer and their current ownership.

My co-site expert Adam McGee went into great detail earlier this week about this era of Bucks basketball and most specifically, how the 2012-13 Bucks exemplified this edict under then-owner Herb Kohl. But as we’re about to dive into, franchise-altering moments certainly influenced why the Bucks were stuck in this kind of purgatory for many years.

So without further ado, let’s run through some of the biggest ‘what ifs’ that ultimately defined the Milwaukee Bucks’ run on the treadmill of mediocrity throughout the early 2010s.

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