It was clear to see that the Milwaukee Bucks were old, slow, and unathletic. Now, they have fixed their biggest issue by adding youth and athleticism, and no one seems to have noticed.
The discourse around the Bucks has been negative all offseason. From the moment they exited the playoffs, Giannis Antetokounmpo rumors ran rampant, Damian Lillard was waived, and Myles Turner was added, all of which received a big thumbs down from those in the NBA media.
They are no longer one of the oldest teams in the league and have managed to retain all their younger players who could have left town. It was bold and it was all out of the blue, but Jon Horst and the front office have fixed their biggest problem, and the disregard may play into Milwaukee's hands.
Bucks zoned in on their problems and fixed them
Giannis' status in Milwaukee is always something ESPN has latched onto, with Stephen A. Smith this offseason saying the two-time MVP has underperformed in his career. Their latest power rankings ahead of the 2025-26 season have the Bucks at No. 14, moving up from No. 16. That puts them at sixth in the Eastern Conference.
After a quick bit of math, the Bucks had the eighth-oldest team in the league last season, with their big combinations averaging at 32.3 years old, and the point guards averaging out at 31.1 years old. Brook Lopez (37), Lillard (35), and Pat Connaughton (32) have all left; now, Taurean Prince is the oldest player on the roster at 31.
Turner is still just 29 despite feeling like he has been around for an eternity, Cole Anthony is in his prime years at 25, with the only older addition being Gary Harris at 30, but still with a role to play on this roster. The average age is now down to 26.2; it won't make them one of the youngest rosters in the league, but it puts them right in the middle pack for the first time in several seasons.
It wasn't just about lowering the average age this offseason, but also about maximizing Giannis' prime years by adding more complementary players around him. Jericho Sims was a huge boost last season in the frontcourt, with the duo being a secret defensive weapon for the Bucks. Lopez was in Defensive Player of the Year conversations alongside Giannis. Now, Turner, a much more versatile defender, is in and gives Milwaukee a solid foundation to build on.
Potentially gone are the days of having veterans dragged to the perimeter and struggling to stay with smaller guys. The Bucks now have versatility and athleticism, and have added more shooting to their league's best 3-point shooting from last year.
With Giannis on the roster, he can lead the Bucks to 40 or so wins regardless of who else is there. It caught the headlines with how bold the moves were, but the Bucks have fixed their biggest flaws. Teams may be doubting the team building, and sure, it's not the perfect roster. Yet, the Bucks going under the radar and unnoticed may not be a bad thing.
The Indiana Pacers team that went to Game 7 of the NBA Finals was predicted to be nowhere near it. Milwaukee being doubted should be used as motivation, and the roster around Giannis can now run with the younger teams in the league. Putting it all together is now the next challenge.