In his first season with the Milwaukee Bucks, Cole Anthony will be tasked with doing exactly what he specializes in. It's the most ideal of situations for Anthony to have landed in as a scoring guard who needs volume to excel and thus tap into other elements of his game.
That's a loose definition of how Anthony will be asked to play in 2025-26, of course, but this coming season will be a testament to the importance of fit.
Anthony has joined a Bucks team in desperate need of reliable offensive contributions from its backcourt players. With Damian Lillard out of the picture, Milwaukee's depth chart is led by a somewhat unknown group of contributors who are being tasked with producing with greater volume than they're accustomed to.
Giannis Antetokounmpo has the uncanny ability to simplify matters for everyone around him, and Myles Turner should help at center, but perimeter play remains a flaw until proven otherwise.
Anthony projects to be able to check an essential box for Milwaukee in 2025-26 as a dynamic scoring option. He's a proven commodity as a productive volume scorer who has improved his outside shot and quietly developed into an ideal candidate to be the Bucks' sixth man.
Milwaukee needs offense from its guards in the worst way and Anthony represents an intriguing opportunity to put a talented player in a role that allows him to be exactly who he is.
Cole Anthony can go all-in on scoring guard role with Bucks in 2025-26
Anthony boasts career averages of 12.5 points per game and 18.2 points per 36 minutes. Over the past four seasons, he's never onced dipped below 18.1 per 36 or gone higher than 18.6—thus establishing the exact range Milwaukee can expect him to contribute within.
During that same time, Anthony has averaged 6.2 rebounds, 5.6 assists, 1.0 steal, and 2.0 three-point field goals made per 36 minutes.
As such, Anthony is clearly capable of stuffing the stat sheet as a scorer, rebounder, playmaker, and three-point shooter. He's shot 35.3 percent or better from beyond the arc in two of his past three seasons, adapting well in that regard to Orlando's need for floor-spacers.
Milwaukee doesn't necessarily need Anthony to stuff the stat sheet, however, as they simply require the presence of a guard who can step in and put points on the board.
Clearly, Anthony's value as a rebounder and playmaker would help the Bucks in potential areas of weakness, as would his shooting. Antetokounmpo and Turner project to shoulder a significant workload on both ends of the floor, however, which makes the need for a perimeter player who can keep a defense on its heels essential.
Anthony not only has a track record of scoring at a high level, but will be playing in an environment in which his bread and butter is what he'll be asked to provide.
If Anthony shows up and turns a sixth man role into an opportunity to shoot at will, then the Bucks will make life significantly easier for Antetokounmpo and Turner. If he can do so while coexisting with Kevin Porter Jr. and Gary Trent Jr., then the Bucks' offense could prove far more effective than anticipated.
Anthony will need to do more than score to maximize his playing time, but he can provide a steady impact by simply leaning into what he does best.