Small forward is something of a conundrum for the Milwaukee Bucks. On the one hand, there is Kyle Kuzma, a clunky fit, poor shooter, and net rating sinkhole. On the other hand, the Bucks could go all-in on small-ball and start both Gary Trent Jr. and AJ Green, with one at the three.
Of course, that lineup raises justified size concerns. Would Doc Rivers, who is growing but has a track record of preferring the traditional, opt for Taurean Prince as a compromise?
The Bucks need to figure something out and then be ready to adjust if it doesn't work. The glass-half-full outlook is that at least they have options and upside: maybe the small-ball thing works, or Kuzma isn't quite so awful after all. Measured against the rest of the East, Milwaukee's small forward rotation looks like another example of a sub-par situation - like the one at point guard - that is nonetheless somewhat overblown.
Small forward rankings in the Eastern Conference
1. Boston Celtics - Jaylen Brown, Sam Hauser, RJ Luis Jr.
2. New York Knicks - Mikal Bridges, OG Anunoby, Josh Hart
3. Atlanta Hawks - Jalen Johnson, Zaccharie Risacher, Vit Krejci
4. Cleveland Cavaliers - Max Strus, De'Andre Hunter, Dean Wade
5. Miami Heat - Andrew Wiggins, Jaime Jacquez Jr., Haywood Highsmith
6. Detroit Pistons - Ausar Thompson, Duncan Robinson, Caris LeVert
7. Orlando Magic - Franz Wagner, Triston da Silva, Jett Howard
8. Toronto Raptors - Brandon Ingram, Ochai Agbaji, RJ Barrett
9. Indiana Pacers - Aaron Nesmith, Benedict Mathurin, Johnny Furphy
10. Milwaukee Bucks - Kyle Kuzma, Gary Trent Jr./AJ Green, Taurean Prince
11. Washington Wizards - Khris Middleton, Justin Champagnie, Corey Kispert
12. Philadelphia 76ers - VJ Edgecomb, Kelly Oubre Jr., Justin Edwards
13. Chicago Bulls - Ayo Dosunmu, Isaac Okoro, Kevin Huerter
14. Charlotte Hornets - Brandon Miller, Josh Green, Pat Connaughton
15. Brooklyn Nets - Ziaire Williams, Jalen Wilson, Terrance Mann
Trent and Green will surely take shifts at the three. The only question, mentioned above, is whether they will both start. However coach Rivers handles the rotation, the other two options will see some kind of playing time as well.
The 10th spot isn't as bad as some might project. People see Kuzma as a generic fill-in-the-blank, and that's enough to scare them off. Bucks fans remember how he and Prince lost their jobs in the playoffs. But with the two-guard wings included, the overall picture isn't so dire.
And, hey, maybe Kuzma digs in on defenses, cleans up his inefficiency at the rim, and redefines himself as the valuable contributor he was on the Lakers' 2020 title team. In the regular season, at least, Prince is a serviceable depth-chart innings-eater.
Notable team ahead: None. The Toronto Raptors, led by Brandon Ingram, offer the best case to be made against one of the teams ranked above the Bucks. On a roster full of them, Ingram is an example of a player who fills up box scores without contributing real value. In fact, he's something of a super-inflated Kuzma. In the past two seasons, Ingram has had a negative on-off efficiency rating. There isn't a strong bench group behind him.
For now, however, Ingram's surface-level production and iso-ball abilities are too much to overlook when the Milwaukee Bucks lack a clear-cut starter themselves.
Notable team behind: Washington Wizards. Playing on two shot ankles, Khris Middleton might still be more valuable than the guy the Bucks traded for. That said, Kuzma and the others still give Milwaukee a better group than the lowly Wizards, led by Middleton.
The bottom line for the Milwaukee Bucks is that small forward remains a question mark, but roster flexibility gives them options. Once they establish a clear hierarchy, they can creep closer to the middle of the pack.