4 Young players the Bucks should develop, 2 to give up on
By Tyler Watts
The Milwaukee Bucks fired head coach Mike Budenholzer after a stunning first-round playoff exit and hired first-timer Adrian Griffin as his replacement. They stayed in title contention this summer by bringing back Khris Middleton, Brook Lopez, and Jae Crowder along with adding some youth on the edges. Will it be enough to get Milwaukee back to the NBA Finals in 2024?
Giannis Antetokounmpo is recovering from offseason knee surgery but should be ready for training camp. As long as the Greek Freak is healthy, the Bucks will be a feared team in the Eastern Conference.
Giannis is the only member of the Bucks core four under 30 years old, and the franchise should already be thinking about the team’s next iteration. Antetokounmpo is a fantastic start, but the Bucks must develop some young talent to stay at the top.
4 Players the Milwaukee Bucks should develop, 2 they shouldn’t
Develop: Chris Livingston
The Bucks just drafted Livingston with the final pick in the 2023 NBA Draft after one season at the University of Kentucky. His college numbers were unimpressive, but the 6’6 wing showed flashes during summer league as he averaged 10.6 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 1.0 steal in 26.7 minutes per game.
Livingston needs to improve his jumper and overall play to make a nightly impact in the NBA, but the teenager was the number 13 player coming out of high school in 2022. There is plenty of upside, and the Bucks should be focused on getting the best out of him.
The 6’6 forward has a 6’11 wingspan with the size and athletic ability to defend multiple positions. He is a project, but Chris Livingston could turn into a rotation player and key contributor in Milwaukee if he can reach his ceiling.
The Bucks believe in him so much they gave him the largest contract in league history for the final pick in a draft. They are committed to developing Livingston after giving him two guaranteed years, and fans should be excited about his potential.