Dating back to when the Milwaukee Bucks acquired Eric Bledsoe in November 2017, they haven't had any questions about who their full-time starting point guard would be. With no Bledsoe, Jrue Holiday, or Damian Lillard in town for the first time in a long time, Milwaukee will now undergo a competition to see which of their guards will earn the starting nod. That's an exciting thing because it means this team has a lot of compelling options in the backcourt.
The case for Kevin Porter Jr.
With 150 regular season starts in his NBA career, Porter is the most experienced guard of the bunch in this particular role. He also has the best stats, showing legitimate two-way production, especially during his stint as a full-time starter in Houston. Beyond just producing for himself, Porter displayed great chemistry with Giannis Antetokounmpo, which could further boost his case.
The question is whether or not Doc Rivers sees Porter as his starting point guard. During the 35 games Porter played in green after coming over at the NBA Trade Deadline, he started just three. While his shot creation off the bench was a nice boost, in a world where the Milwaukee Bucks no longer employ Damian Lillard, they may need that spark in the lineup to start games.
The case for Cole Anthony
While Porter leads the way with his 150 career regular season starts, Cole Anthony, the newcomer, isn't far behind with 125. A significant chunk of that came during the 2021-22 NBA season, the lone year of his career when he started all of his games. He took advantage of the opportunity, putting up 16.3 points and 5.7 assists per game. The guard can perform when given the opportunity.
Although Giannis Antetokounmpo will likely control most of the offense in a point-forward role, Anthony is more than capable of taking on those duties at times. The perimeter shooting can be hot and cold, hitting 34.5 percent in his career, but he has the tools to put points on the board in a variety of ways, which will be needed in Damian Lillard's absence.
The case for Ryan Rollins
Doc Rivers took a real liking to Ryan Rollins amidst his breakout last year, with the coach calling on the guard to start in 19 regular season games. Rivers was also reportedly an advocate for bringing Rollins back in NBA Free Agency. Given what he showed last season, it makes sense that Rivers was a Rollins fan, and that could certainly carry over into next season.
On paper, Rollins does everything. He shoots the ball, defends countless positions, can pass the ball, score inside, rebound with tenacity, etc. Who wouldn't want a player like that in the starting lineup? Circling back to the guard's fit with Giannis running the offense, Rollins would be seamless, as he can play off the ball and still make a tremendous impact.
The verdict on the likeliest candidate
It feels like Kevin Porter Jr. will get the nod. While all three have quality cases, Porter's shot creation and scoring punch catapult him to the front. Anthony feels better-suited to come off the bench and serve as a second-unit sparkplug. Rollins still has some growing to do as a scorer, which could come as a reserve next season. Keep an eye on KPJ, who could take a massive leap in Lillard's absence.
Stay tuned for more Milwaukee Bucks analysis.