It was a revolving door of starting lineups for the Milwaukee Bucks last season, which included 25 variations to their starting unit throughout the season.
After another injury-hampered season for Khris Middleton, the Bucks were constantly looking for new lineups to try and fill the void that Middleton left being a prolific scorer. But, after getting a minor knee operation this offseason – and the team extending both him and Brook Lopez’s contracts – the Bucks brought back a large portion of their roster from a year ago, in addition to adding Malik Beasley.
With a healthy Middleton entering the season, there will be more consistency in the starting lineup. However, we could see the fifth and final spot become an opening that many players could fill throughout the year.
Milwaukee Bucks’ starting lineup option 1: Giannis Antetokounmpo, Khris Middleton, Jrue Holiday, Brook Lopez, Jae Crowder
Having Giannis Antetokounmpo, Khris Middleton, Jrue Holiday, and Brook Lopez in the starting unit should be a no-brainer. However, through the first few weeks of the year, that final spot could see a variety of players step in to round out the lineup.
The Milwaukee Bucks went ahead and re-signed veteran forward Jae Crowder this off-season after acquiring him from the Phoenix Suns at the deadline. Crowder’s role was very limited in then-head coach Mike Budenholzer’s system, which frustrated him greatly during the postseason. Now that there is new leadership in Milwaukee with Coach Adrian Griffin, I expect Crowder’s role to not only increase but become a significant part of the team’s success this year.
Crowder brings great toughness on the wing as a perimeter defender, which is something the Bucks have been lacking since the departure of P.J. Tucker. Crowder is often known for being able to match up with other teams’ top scorers, and having a player in him as well as Holiday, that are both elite-level defenders, can make Milwaukee a defensive force. It would also allow Holiday to conserve energy for the offensive side of the ball and for late-game situations, knowing that Crowder has the shutdown capabilities.
What Crowder brings that doesn’t show up in the box score is his veteran leadership and knowing how to compete at a high level in the playoffs. He’s all too familiar with the Bucks from the 2021 NBA championship, where he was the defensive cornerstone for the Phoenix Suns. He started in all 22 postseason games for the Suns, including all six games in the NBA Finals.
Having his veteran presence in the starting lineup can add an experienced element to the Bucks and brings a player that has been in the finals and knows what it takes to get to that point of the season.
Milwaukee Bucks’ starting lineup option 2: Giannis Antetokounmpo, Khris Middleton, Jrue Holiday, Brook Lopez, Malik Beasley
The Milwaukee Bucks lucked out in a way by getting Malik Beasley, especially with what he was going to make had the Lakers decided to keep him. After they declined his $16.5 million team option, Milwaukee picked him up on a one-year deal worth $2.8 million, which is a huge steal.
Beasley comes to Milwaukee with a lot to prove, especially after his role on the Lakers began to dwindle as the playoffs wore on, as he didn’t play in three of the four games against the Denver Nuggets. With a mindset of wanting to prove something early in the year, there is no question Beasley is going to come out hungry to start the season and will take full advantage of any opportunities he earns in the starting lineup.
When he’s been given those opportunities in his career, he’s taken full advantage with his offensive scoring ability. In the 2020-2021 season with the Minnesota Timberwolves, Beasley was putting up career numbers, playing in 37 games and starting 36 while averaging 19.6 points per game on 44 percent shooting from the floor. He had 11 games of scoring 25 points or more during that same season, which shows he’s not only a consistent scorer but can get into the 20s on a regular basis.
Having a scoring option on the wing with that potential is something Milwaukee would gladly welcome, especially when it could take some of the pressure off of Middleton and the other wings.
In the past, Giannis Antetokounmpo has benefitted from having Middleton and Holiday both help with scoring, in addition to Lopez being a consistent scorer as well. But they’ve suffered from inconsistent play at times from other wing players like Grayson Allen and Pat Connaughton. Having Beasley there as a regular threat would force the defense to have a to pay attention to him and would give Middleton more open looks with a preoccupied defense.
Beasley can be inconsistent, which was evident when he failed to score in double figures in six of the final 11 regular season games, including a scoreless outing against Chicago. Even with his potential inconsistencies, having Beasley in the starting lineup at least gives the Milwaukee Bucks another 20-point threat on the wing that could also help his fellow starting mates with their own open looks and scoring.
Milwaukee Bucks’ Starting Option 3: Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jrue Holiday, Khris Middleton, Bobby Portis, Brook Lopez
With Middleton’s defense being hot-and-cold at times, I think the Milwaukee Bucks would like to see a bigger and more defensive-minded lineup starting. Bringing Portis off the bench and into the starting lineup will immediately give the Bucks a boost defensively, but also added help in the paint and scoring overall with Portis’ versatile ability.
Portis has seen his role increase each and every year during his time in Milwaukee. The Bucks clearly enjoy having him on the team, and the proof is there after they went 47-23 with Portis playing last year. Not only has he had an impact when in the lineup during the regular season, but he’s been a major contributor in the playoffs as well. Since 2021, the Bucks are 15-4 in the playoffs when Portis scores 10 or more points in a playoff game, per Stat Muse.
His play for the Bucks has given him major publicity, which led to his name being in the running for the Sixth Man of the Year award this past year. The infectious play he brings to the table would elevate the starting lineup both offensively and defensively. He’s a workhorse on the glass, and his defense has improved each year he’s been with Milwaukee.
With an average of 14.1 points per game and nearly 10 rebounds a contest off the bench, he was the constant energizer for the Bucks off the bench. His presence in the starting lineup was inconsistent, but Milwaukee had solid success with him being in the first five, going 13-8 when he was in the opening unit. Having his defense in the starting lineup would cover up whatever Beasley lacks on that side of the floor and would add more scoring to the bunch.
Not to mention, it would give some added help to Lopez in the paint rebound-wise and defensively can make the Bucks nearly impenetrable with his 6-foot-10 frame extending beyond the paint.
It’s obvious who the first four will be in the starting lineup, with the potential of one of the regular four being a sixth man at times. But the fifth spot could very well be tested around until Coach Griffin decides who he wants to settle with as a regular. I expect the first month-and-change of the season, we will see a few different players pick up that fifth spot. But, come December or January, we will have a much better idea of who the every-night starting squad will be for the Milwaukee Bucks.
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