Bucks face AJ Green decision they didn't expect to consider

The Milwaukee Bucks have some decisions to make in the starting five. Giannis Antetokounmpo is slated to return as soon as the first game out of the break.

That means someone who has been starting will need to take a seat. AJ Green might not be the first name that comes to mind, but if the Bucks prioritize sheer production while installing size at small forward, he could be a surprising addition to the second unit.

Swapping out Green would be an unanticipated adjustment

Perhaps the most obvious candidate is Kevin Porter Jr. The Bucks brought him off the bench toward the end of Giannis' last healthy stint, and they could choose to do so again. Now, however, Cam Thomas is in the mix. That changes the calculus for Green.

Green has started every game he's played this season, so it would be a change, for sure. But, with bench touches limited as it is, pairing two sparkplug types in Porter and Thomas does not seem optimal. Even with Giannis back, Porter is one of the team's best players. He should get his minutes. 

So, too, should Green. He's had a solid season, averaging 10.7 points per game, 2.6 rebounds, and two assists while shooting 43 percent from distance. Over his last six games, he is averaging 14.8 points. If Rollins and Porter take up the guard spots, though, the only option to start all of them would be playing Green at the three.

Doc Rivers has done that plenty of times before, but lately the Milwaukee Bucks have prioritized size. Typically, going small hasn't worked in their favor. Now Ousmane Dieng looks like the best positional fit on the roster. 

Starting Porter and plugging in Dieng at small forward would mean moving Green to the bench. Is that fair? Perhaps not, but it might serve the team's best interests. This is a Bucks group that, healthy Giannis or not, needs to lean on its playmakers. A Porter-Rollins backcourt does that. 

One argument in favor of keeping Green where he is, at the two or maybe the three, is his insane on-off rating. He is even better this season than last, posting a plus-10.2 overall rating and benefiting the defense by six points per 100 possessions. 

Bucks fans know Green plays hard, but that defensive figure in particular is intriguing. They have seen him get picked on. How much are those numbers a product of Green's impact? How much is tied to the fact that his minutes align closely with Giannis shifts? 

There is a reason for that, as Green's elite shooting plays well with the Greek Freak's gravity. It's also worth noting that Giannis has missed 22 games; those numbers can't be all Giannis. Still, four of the Bucks' top six duos by minutes per game pair Green with a plus defender each time: Giannis, Myles Turner, Porter, or Rollins, at anywhere from 22.8 to 23.9 minutes per contest.

That's not to dispute his value to Milwaukee's scheme. It's not to advocate that he should be moved to the bench. It's just to observe a possible pitfall in using on-off rating as definitive evidence that he should be locked into the starting five. Depending on what trait the Bucks prioritize - shooting, size, shot creation - what that group should look like is at least something to think about.