The Milwaukee Bucks don't care if no one else will believe in them this season; they are excited to get going and prove the doubters wrong. One Bucks executive alluded to this when speaking to Spotrac writer Keith Smith over the summer, highlighting how Milwaukee's new group of players after moving Giannis Antetokounmpo gives them a unique assortment of exciting talent.
“We’ve got a lot of vets who are going to play. But behind them are kids who are going to push them. We should have a really competitive camp this year. From talking to the guys, everyone feels energized and ready to go."
Youngsters should push veterans
Unlike in years past, the interesting thing about this group is that almost no job feels safe. Sure, one can likely pencil in that Tyler Herro and Myles Turner will start, but nothing is truly set in stone. Camp and the preseason will be a battle-royale-style audition for anyone and everyone to show off what they can bring to the table and make their case to play.
Ryan Rollins and Kevin Porter Jr. will clash to see who starts next to Herro. Kyle Kuzma, Jaime Jaquez Jr., and Ousmane Dieng will duke it out as Milwaukee's small and power forward minutes remain up for grabs. Kel'el Ware will certainly aim to go at Turner whenever he can. Pete Nance will look to show he belongs on this roster despite being a likely cut candidate ahead of the regular season.
One of the more interesting battles
Although all of these will be fascinating duels, one of the more interesting takeaways from camp and preseason will take place in the second unit. The Bucks have three likely reserves in Caris LeVert, AJ Green, and Gary Trent Jr. all taking home significant money. Yet, could that trio of veterans find their minutes cut into by youngsters like Brayden Burries and Kasparas Jakucionis?
This scenario perfectly captures what the executive meant when discussing the younger players pushing the veterans. Milwaukee's faith in Burries (having drafted him 10th overall recently) and Jakucionis (a player the team allegedly pushed the Heat to include in the Giannis trade) is clear. The veterans will have a chance to show their worth, but these two will be nipping at their heels.
If the veterans fail to make an impression under Taylor Jenkins, it wouldn't be surprising if they were booted from the rotation—or even the team—after not too long in favor of the youngsters. It should sharpen the veterans, who know their job security is in limbo, but also the young players, who have a golden opportunity to contribute.
Aside from when the Milwaukee Bucks acquired Damian Lillard, which didn't turn out so well, this feels like the most anticipated training camp the team has had in a while. The last few years have been full of controversy, and the opportunity for a clean slate feels like a breath of fresh air.
Stay tuned for more Milwaukee Bucks analysis.
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