The Milwaukee Bucks came up short Sunday night against a Nuggets lineup missing four starters, including three-time MVP Nikola Jokic. Despite improved play since Giannis Antetokounmpo's return, this team continues to cry out for even just one additional playmaker. It's going largely as preseason critics predicted.
Even with Giannis playing like an MVP, the Bucks simply don't have enough talent around him.
Stacking wins has proved difficult, even with Giannis on the floor. Losing in Denver guaranteed that the Bucks will go at least half the season without completing a three-game win streak. Already five games below. 500, they can't muck around much longer. Time is of the essence. If Jon Horst plans to take a swing on the trade market, he may as well do it now.
Bucks still need answers, just like skeptics thought
Despite general skepticism, the Milwaukee Bucks thought they had enough as is. Then Gary Trent Jr. went AWOL and hasn't returned. Cole Anthony played his way out of the rotation. Amir Coffey never really joined it. Thus far, Myles Turner has underwhelmed.
Pieces they were counting on for substantial contributions, like Turner and Trent, have not played up to expectations. Underperformance from the likes of Anthony has all but dissolved their depth. Losing Taurean Prince for the year did not help their already thin wing rotation.
Breakout years from Kevin Porter Jr. and Ryan Rollins have not been enough. As the Denver loss illustrated, asking those two to do it all behind Giannis is too much. Porter and Rollins combined to go 5-of-26 from the field for 12 points. While that type of performance is a major outlier, it's also the culmination of somewhat less effective play from both guards of late. The Bucks played from behind all night despite a near 31-point triple-double from the Greek Freak.
They can point to injuries as explaining part of their woes, but so can almost every team. Instead, Giannis' sideline stints have reinforced what doubters believed would be true. In Antetokounmpo's absence, this roster lacks the firepower to compete. The Bucks are 4-12 in games they have finished without him.
It's not that this roster is one piece away from becoming title contenders. As long as Giannis stays, just being in the mix counts for something. A preventable loss here, two more there, and the Bucks may dig themselves a hole they can't come back from. That's why they need to strike sooner rather than later if they plan to make waves via trade.
Of course, that doesn't mean shelling out recklessly. An undersized, inefficient guard (guess who?) won't move the needle. It will just create more problems. If the Bucks can find a playmaker with size, that's the move to make. Clearly, as many pundits crowed all along, the players they do have aren't quite enough.