Ryan Rollins must remain in the Milwaukee Bucks starting lineup. Even when Kevin Porter Jr. returns, which could come as soon as Saturday against the Brooklyn Nets, per Kyle Kuzma, the Bucks cannot pry Rollins from his current spot. He's having a Most Improved Player worthy campaign, and moving him out of place could be a mistake that dooms the Bucks.
Bucks must adjust to having Porter, but that shouldn't impact Rollins
When the season began, Porter was Milwaukee's starting point guard. Doc Rivers gave him the nod over Rollins, trusting his experience. However, Porter went down after just nine minutes and has been out of the lineup since, giving Rollins the chance to steal his spot and blossom into an ascending star. Going back to Porter as the starter just because that's how the season began could be disastrous.
In a season where there hasn't been too much to cheer about yet, the Milwaukee Bucks cannot risk throwing him off his rhythm.
There is a world where Rollins and Porter start together in the backcourt. They do complement one another well, with Rollins thriving as an off-ball player due to his defense, while Porter can handle the offense and vice versa. However, anything like that is unlikely to come right off the bat. The team is already undersized, and bringing Porter into the starting lineup wouldn't help.
Milwaukee should look to stagger them, especially with how poorly Cole Anthony has played off the bench lately. Porter's return should lessen Anthony's workload altogether, making him more of a depth piece than a needed second-unit cog on a nightly basis. Milwaukee's bench is in the middle of the pack in many statistical categories, and Porter could help bump those numbers up.
Porter is the ultimate X-factor for the Milwaukee squad. Many thought he was the clear second option on this team behind Giannis Antetokounmpo before the season. Rollins has taken that role for himself in Porter's absence, but there is certainly room for Porter to be the third option. As one of the worst offenses without Giannis on the floor, the Bucks should certainly benefit from Porter's presence.
If he does return Saturday night, which will be less than a month removed from meniscus surgery, Porter will likely be on a minutes limit. Getting him back up to speed will be a process. It's a process that should unfold from the Bucks' second unit.
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