Historically, Doc Rivers loves deploying his all bench lineups. It hasn't always led to positive results, as it's difficult to stay afloat without a single starter on the floor at times, but the Milwaukee Bucks have what could be a quality bench unit that allows Rivers to utilize this strategy next season. Of course, succeeding with this strategy is far easier said than done, but the potential is there.
The Milwaukee Bucks can utilize some interesting all bench lineups
If Rivers and the Milwaukee Bucks want to build off the success they saw last season, it would make plenty of sense to start Kevin Porter Jr., Gary Trent Jr., AJ Green, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and new big man Myles Turner. That group has the speed, youth, athleticism, and shooting to be a threat on both sides of the basketball. It also leaves Rivers with a lot of options to craft the bench brigade.
The second unit could consist of Cole Anthony, Ryan Rollins, Taurean Prince, Kyle Kuzma, and Bobby Portis. Sure, that's not a group of All-Stars, but they all have valuable starting experience, so bringing them off the bench could be a massive lift as they look to give the regulars a breather. If they click, it could work wonders for Milwaukee's rotations and keep the starters fresh.
Anthony has the chops to run the floor general duties, passing, and scoring with precision. Rollins does as well, but he is a better defender and can be utilized more off the ball. Prince and Kuzma, despite their flaws, could be better suited to come off the bench and play their true positions, unlike last year. Everyone knows what Bobby Portis will bring to the table.
Jericho Sims and Gary Harris also cannot be forgotten about.
There's also a world where Doc Rivers possibly starts Taurean Prince or Kyle Kuzma over AJ Green to give Milwaukee a lengthier small forward. That would only make the all bench lineups better, as Green has quickly proven he can be a difference maker when he's on the floor. With that in mind, he should be the starter, but time will tell how Rivers proceeds.
To be clear, this isn't advocating for Rivers to deploy these second unit lineups consistently. It's just a matter of time before he does it, so you might as well acknowledge it. Thankfully, Milwaukee has put together an eye-catching roster that could make that an interesting decision rather than a disastrous one right away.
Stay tuned for more Milwaukee Bucks analysis.