Defense has never been Tyler Herro's calling card, and that could potentially come back to bite him in certain situations with the Milwaukee Bucks. When the team needs a stop in a do-or-die situation, the guard could easily be on the sidelines rather than in the game, as they have plenty of defenders who hold up better than Herro. With so much on the line this season, that's not ideal for Herro.
Crafting Bucks' potential "we need a stop" lineup
Looking through the roster, the Bucks have an assortment of good defenders who could forge quite the defensive unit.
In the backcourt, Ryan Rollins and Kevin Porter Jr. were excellent together last season. While they did not play together often due to injuries, they were feisty defensively and generated steals with their active hands when they did. Pairing them could help the Bucks not only get a needed stop, but maybe the other team wouldn't even get a shot off due to the pair's ability to generate steals.
While Kyle Kuzma is best suited to be a power forward, he could play the three in certain situations like this one. Despite his shortcomings, Kuzma is a solid defender who is versatile enough to hold his own. At power forward and center, it wouldn't be surprising if Taylor Jenkins used a double big lineup with Kel'el Ware and Myles Turner, preventing teams from attacking the hoop inside with ease.
This unit could be special defensively. It would be troubling if the best player on the team—at least on paper—wasn't featured in a lineup that could decide the outcome of the game, especially as he seeks a hefty new payday next summer. Him not being on the floor in those situations could make it harder to stomach paying him significant money and create problems next summer.
The great thing for Herro is that he will have an opportunity to change the narrative and wash all of these concerns away.
Herro being serviceable defensively changes everything
No one is saying Herro can magically become a stout defender overnight. That ship has likely sailed. However, is there still a pathway to him becoming at least passable? Absolutely. At 6-foot-5, 195 lbs, it's not like Herro is a scrawny, undersized guard. He has the build to hold his own and not find himself getting taken advantage of by an opponent. It's easier said than done, but he has the physical tools.
If Herro puts his best foot forward and becomes a serviceable defender, it wouldn't be shocking if he replaced Rollins or Porter in this lineup. Depending on the opponent, perhaps they would even dare to take Kuzma out and put Herro in his place. It all starts with effort. If he turns up the intensity and starts at least pestering his opponents, decent results may follow. It would be a dream come true.
The Milwaukee Bucks would love to utilize his fantastic scoring late in games, but without the defense, it becomes harder to rely on him. How he holds up on that end will have major implications on Herro's short and long term future in Milwaukee.
Stay tuned for more Milwaukee Bucks analysis.
Add us as a preferred source on Google