Milwaukee has sent a pair of players to the All-Star Game in each of the past four seasons, and that streak is now on the line.
Khris Middleton, Jrue Holiday, and Damian Lillard have each joined Giannis Antetokounmpo at All-Star weekend in the past four years. Sadly, none of those players will be in a Bucks uniform this year. With countless questions surrounding this roster, an intriguing early-season question comes to mind. Is anyone not wearing No. 34 going to earn a spot on an All-Star roster this year? Here are a few scenarios that Bucks fans would love to see play out.
Myles Turner is better than advertised
Outside of Giannis, nobody on this Milwaukee Roster has more weight on their shoulders this year than Myles Turner. After the Bucks' decision to part ways with Damian Lillard, Turner was brought in to fill a much-needed void of youth and athleticism. Turner was a huge factor on a team that nearly won a championship just last year in Indiana, and his role in Milwaukee looks to be much larger than he has had in the past.
Starting next to Giannis will open up the floor in ways Turner has never seen offensively, and defense has always been a major strong suit of his. As a player who has already proven he can win at a high level while putting up a double-double for the entire season, Myles Turner is primed to see a jump in his stats and impact that could land him an All-Star nod.
Playoff Gary sticks around
Gary Trent Jr. accepted a much smaller role last season compared to what he had been used to in years past. It wasn't until the playoffs, at a time when the Bucks desperately needed someone to take a big step forward, that GTJ decided it was his turn to shine. After posting two absolutely nuclear shooting performances in the playoffs and looking like a guy who can take over a game more than once, Trent enters this season as a player to very much keep an eye on.
With no definitive second option on the Bucks roster, GTJ will likely be a player who sees much more of the ball, much more responsibility, and much more opportunity. Don't be surprised if his numbers skyrocket and he ends up wearing an All-Star jersey.
Rockets KPJ Returns
Kevin Porter Jr. was the steal of the deadline by many NBA fans last year, trading away just a non-rotational piece, MarJon Beauchamp, for the guard. KPJ quickly established himself in the Bucks rotation as an impact player who could both score at a high level and come up with steals on the defensive end. In his days with the Houston Rockets, KPJ was a player who averaged nearly 20 points a night, once even scoring 50 points to go with 11 assists against the team he now starts for.
All signs indicate that the ball will be in Porter Jr.'s care a lot for the Bucks this year, leaving his success primarily in his own hands. KPJ making the jump to an All-Star level point guard would be potentially franchise-saving for the Milwaukee Bucks.