A summer of change begs the question: what is the best starting lineup for the Milwaukee Bucks? It can't be penciled in just yet, as there is no knowing what Doc Rivers may do.
Rivers' term as head coach of the Bucks hasn't been overly impressive, but he is the man in charge, and plenty of lineup ideas have been floating around this offseason. The roster has taken massive steps to fix Milwaukee's biggest issues, but there are still question marks over what Rivers will do.
There is no telling what Doc Rivers has planned
Two first-round exits as Bucks head coach have sparked plenty of conversation around the experienced Rivers and whether he is the right man to lead the team forward. Throughout the 2024-25 season, numerous changes to the starting lineups made it unclear who would begin games.
Take Andre Jackson Jr., for example. He started 43 games last season, but down the stretch and in the playoffs, he was completely out of the picture. Now, with the potential addition of Amir Coffey, that could change Doc Rivers' plans even further.
The roster needed to be younger, more athletic, and versatile, and Jon Horst has done exactly that. That puts pressure on Rivers to find a winning formula, as another poor season could see him swiftly moved on and possibly see the end of his NBA coaching career.
Myles Turner and Giannis Antetokounmpo will start; what happens around them, who knows. At point guard, there is no clear standout guy with Kevin Porter Jr., Ryan Rollins, and Cole Anthony all capable of starting. Do you want the offensive punch of Porter from the start or the more calming presence of Rollins or Anthony?
The wing positions have even more question marks. Taurean Prince re-signed, and Kyle Kuzma was the big trade deadline addition. Kuzma's struggles in the postseason question whether he should start, but if the Bucks get the best out of him, he can be a huge asset. Should Rivers decide to, he could go smaller and play both Gary Trent Jr. and AJ Green to surround Giannis Antetokounmpo with shooting.
How the Bucks play will also be something to settle on quickly. Milwaukee could explore the 'Point Giannis' idea and surround him with plenty of shooters. The pace needs to be upped. Too many times in recent years has the half-court offense been tough to watch, with the team taking far too long to get into their sets.
We won't know what Doc Rivers is planning until pre-season gets underway. It is so difficult to predict what he may do, so be prepared for any surprises he might try.