Milwaukee Bucks: Revamped second unit poised for big things in 2021-22

Although they faced a shortened timetable following their championship-winning campaign, the Milwaukee Bucks made the most of their offseason.

The front office made several moves to bolster the roster through free agency, trades, and the draft, making this team more formidable ahead of their title defense. While the Bucks will be a contending team as long as Giannis Antetokounmpo is leading the charge, he cannot do it alone. The supporting cast was a hot topic of discussion last season, and Bucks are better as currently constructed than they were throughout their title-winning season.

A significant factor in that revolves around Milwaukee’s retooled bench. Bucks’ general manager Jon Horst did a masterful job at both retaining and adding some quality pieces to the second unit during the offseason, and the team will likely feel those improvements early on in 2021-22.

The Milwaukee Bucks have a deep bench heading into the 2021-22 NBA season

Bringing back Bobby Portis was among the biggest move for the Bucks during the offseason. As if fans needed more reason to root for Portis, the big man turned down more lucrative offers from a pair of other contenders to return to Milwaukee. He was a significant factor for the Bucks in the playoffs, even starting two games in the Eastern Conference Finals when Antetokounmpo went down with the hyperextended knee. Portis averaged some of the best numbers in his career with the Bucks last season and losing his scoring, rebounding, tenacity, and everything else he brings to the table would have been a massive loss. Having him back on the bench will be huge next season.

Pat Connaughton will also be back in the mix after a fantastic postseason run. Connaughton stepped up for the Bucks on a nightly basis in the playoffs, knocking down his triples and playing defense at a level like never before. Head coach Mike Budenholzer trusts him more than any other reserve on this team, and he will likely play hefty minutes once again next season because of how well he played his role. After the run he just went on, no fans should have a problem with that. He proved many people wrong over the past year, and it has been sweet to watch.

One interesting variable will be the likely addition of Donte DiVincenzo. While he was Milwaukee’s starting shooting guard last season, he suffered a season-ending injury in the postseason, and he appears to still be working his way back. That means the newly-acquired Grayson Allen is likely to take the mantle as a starter, especially following some impressive showings in the preseason. The transition back to the bench will be interesting, but DiVincenzo could undeniably help bolster this bench with his scoring, shooting, defense, and passing ability. Who knows when he will be cleared to return, but DiVincenzo will be a welcoming addition to this second unit.

Another player that has turned some heads recently is Jordan Nwora. The forward hardly played in his rookie year in Milwaukee last season, but the potential was always there for him, which he has shown throughout the preseason. Throughout three games, Nwora is averaging 20.3 points on an efficient .480/.500/.750 slash line, 6.7 rebounds, and 2.7 assists per contest, rightfully garnering a hefty amount of attention. Starting point guard Jrue Holiday said he believes Nwora can carve out a role for the Bucks this coming season, which is something that everyone wants to see. Scoring and shooting like that would be a sizeable boost on the offensive end for a team that struggled to put points on the board off the bench last year.

Another returning face that could spark some discussion is Thanasis Antetokounmpo. Although he has never put up the flashiest stats during his two seasons, Antetokounmpo has proved himself to be a spark plug. He plays with 110 percent effort whenever he steps into the floor, and coach Budenholzer utilized him more often last season because of it. He will never score the most points or dish out the most assists, but he will dominate the hustle stats while playing overly aggressive defense at times. Time will tell if his role increases yet again next season.

Several of the newcomers have also sparked some optimism. Bringing George Hill back to operate as the backup point guard is a big win, especially if he can shoot the lights out as he did during his first stint in Milwaukee. Rodney Hood brings another scorer that can create for himself and could pan out to be another genius move by Horst if all goes according to plan. Semi Ojeleye has been a highly-discussed player because the Bucks are hoping that he can be a defensive replacement for P.J. Tucker, whom they let walk in free agency. If Ojeleye can play reputable defense and connect on the occasional triple, he will fit his role perfectly.

Even the players at the end of the bench have some potential. Rookie Sandro Mamukelashvili has been great throughout the preseason, and he could help with center depth. Georgios Kalaitzakis is an interesting player because he has shown enough versatility to play positions one-through-four on a nightly basis and has some solid defensive upside. Justin Robinson, who is on a two-way, will give the team their third-string point guard, and even he has shown flashes in the preseason.

This revamped bench should provide the perfect amount of shooting, scoring, facilitating, and passing to complement the starting five in 2021-22.