It's no secret that the Milwaukee Bucks have a logjam in the backcourt—this writer has been talking about it for months. The biggest question is how Taylor Jenkins would handle it once the rubber hits the road. Well, in Milwaukee's first preseason game, it's clear that the blockage might be an obstacle for the team's younger guards, who saw smaller roles than many had hoped.
Bucks' guard jam lessens time for Burries, Jakucionis
Two of Milwaukee's most potential-filled guards are Brayden Burries, whom they selected 10th overall this past draft, and Kasparas Jakucionis, whom they got in the Giannis Antetokounmpo trade. Just 21 and 20 years old, it's clear that neither player has even scratched the surface of their potential, but it will be hard to do that if neither is getting legitimate opportunities.
In the preseason opener, Burries logged 16 minutes, with most of them coming in the second half of action. Meanwhile, Jakucionis didn't play a single minute, sitting on the sidelines from start to finish in this one. That's a tough break for these two, who have all of the makings to be essential pieces in this new youth-focused timeline for the Milwaukee Bucks.
The problem is that Taylor Jenkins can't just bench Milwaukee's other guards. Ryan Rollins, AJ Green, Tyler Herro, Gary Trent Jr., and Kevin Porter Jr. will all see playing time consistently, given their status on the team and large salaries. While he makes a decent chunk of change, it was surprising to see Caris LeVert log 10 minutes of action that could have gone to either of these two, though.
As long as they're in town, Burries and Jakucionis' development might be placed on the back burner.
It was just one preseason game for the Bucks
There is no reason to be dramatic about one outing, of course. Jenkins could very well come out with a whole new rotation in game two that features both Burries and Jakucionis heavily. At this point, he's likely getting a feel for who fits where and will test countless lineup combinations. That would be very reassuring, but his strategy in the very first preseason game paints a bleak picture.
If this theme drags into the regular season, leaving Burries and Jakucionis playing a small or even no role on this team, it will be even more controversial. For now, all Milwaukee Bucks fans can do is trust the process and see what Taylor Jenkins has in store. The Bucks have a roster crunch in general and will soon have to part with two players. If one or both are guards, that could open things up and quiet this controversy.
Stay tuned for more Milwaukee Bucks analysis.
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