Milwaukee Bucks: 3 things to watch for in 2021-22 preseason

As we inch closer and closer to the return of the Milwaukee Bucks, albeit in preseason basketball, there’s a certain excitement around not only being the defending champions but also simply having Bucks basketball back in some capacity.

It’s been a long time since the Bucks have been defending champions, way before some reading this (and me writing this) was even alive! But before we even can begin to start thinking about how the team will perform in the regular season and playoffs, it starts in the preseason.

The Bucks will play five total preseason games, two at home and three on the road, and depending on who plays for the opposing teams, they’ll have some decent competition. In order, the Bucks will play the Memphis Grizzlies (road), Brooklyn Nets (road), Oklahoma City Thunder (home), Utah Jazz (road), and Dallas Mavericks (home).

Naturally, the best players may not play for each team in every game, but getting to go up against teams like the Nets and Jazz should provide some early intrigue, even if it’s preseason. I don’t expect to see a lot of the Bucks’ big three in the preseason, as the team will want to manage their minutes early and throughout the regular season.

So, if the best players aren’t going to be playing a lot for the Bucks, what are some other things to watch out for in the Bucks preseason campaign?

3 things to watch for in the Milwaukee Bucks 2021-22 preseason: How will the new guys fit in?

Aside from seeing the Bucks’ big three, fans are most anticipating how the new acquisitions fit around the championship core. There will be a lot of eyes on the three new guys and one somewhat new guy on the roster. Grayson Allen, Rodney Hood, Semi Ojeleye, and George Hill will all have a chance to prove that they’re deserving of a big role off the bench and earn head coach Mike Budenholzer’s trust, specifically the first three names.

There are also different challenges and questions surrounding each guy. Can Allen assert himself and maybe crack the starting lineup? (more on that later). Can Hood prove he’s fully recovered from his Achilles injury two seasons ago and provide a scoring spark off the bench? Can Ojeleye provide some of what P.J. Tucker did from a defensive standpoint? And can Hill shake off his rough ending to last season with the Philadelphia 76ers now that he’s back in a familiar role and environment?

The new guys could also be applied to draft picks Sandro Mamukelashvili and Georgios Kalaitzakis, who will each have a chance in the preseason to show Budenholzer what they’re capable of and how much they can handle early on in their careers. It’s unlikely they get real minutes during the regular season, but simply getting a feel for how the Bucks play will be huge for them right away.

It’s unlikely that each guy will be a success, and there will likely be some growing pains for some of these guys with a new team, in a new role, and playing a different style (in some cases). The new role players should get ample chance in the preseason to make their mark, and it will allow Budenholzer to experiment with them in different roles to see how they can best help the Bucks.