Milwaukee Bucks: Constructing their ideal starting five after offseason
By Dalton Sell
Starting shooting guard – Bryn Forbes
Donte DiVincenzo, Bryn Forbes, and Pat Connaughton all have a case to be the starting two-guard on opening night for the Bucks. However, looking at what each brings to the table, Forbes might be the best choice, given his stellar shooting from downtown.
Forbes is unquestionably the best shooter from long range within the group, especially after having connected on 38.8 percent of his 6.0 attempts per game last season. Taking a closer look, Forbes is especially compelling because of his catch-and-shoot capabilities from downtown. Per NBA.com/stats, Forbes went 111-for-281 on the season on such shots, good for 39.5 percent.
Forbes’ prolific shooting ability makes him an ideal pairing with Giannis Antetokounmpo and the rest of the Bucks’ creators, particularly in the starting lineup. It may be unconventional from what Bucks fans are presuming happens, but that shooting spark gives Forbes an edge over his new teammates.
Starting small forward – Khris Middleton
Fresh off of his second consecutive appearance as an All-Star, Khris Middleton will surely not lose his spot in the starting lineup anytime soon. The 29-year-old is coming off an All-NBA worthy season where he averaged 20.9 points on .497/.415/.916 shooting splits, 6.2 rebounds, and 4.3 assists per game, having just missed the illustrious 50-40-90 club by a tick.
Although Middleton ultimately got snubbed for All-NBA honors, he clocked in another fantastic season for the Bucks. After dishing out a hefty five-year contract extension worth $185 million in the 2019 offseason to Middleton, the team believes that he can be the second option on a championship team, and he will be put to the test again this season.