The power forward and center positions were a clear question mark for the Milwaukee Bucks heading into the NBA offseason. There was no telling how things would look in time, but the Bucks front office has put together a strong group that could certainly lead to these two positions being a strong point of this Milwaukee roster next season.
Bucks frontcourt could be their greatest strength
Here's how Milwaukee's power forward and center depth looks:
Power forward: Giannis Antetokounmpo, Kyle Kuzma, Tyler Smith, Bogoljub Markovic
Center: Myles Turner, Bobby Portis, Jericho Sims
On paper, that's a compelling group, especially with all of the uncertainty the Milwaukee Bucks had at the positions entering the offseason. Brook Lopez, Bobby Portis, and Jericho Sims were all set to test free agency, while there was chatter about Giannis Antetokounmpo potentially wanting to see what kind of moves the front office would make before deciding if he wanted to stick around.
A group loaded with question marks could now be a resounding strong point.
Looking at the unit, versatility is what jumps off the page. Everyone knows Giannis is Superman and can do just about anything. However, now, they have different chess pieces to put around him. Turner can defend multiple positions and space the floor. Portis can create his own shot from anywhere. Sims can be a lob-threat and switch-heavy defender to take pressure off Giannis.
The biggest wild card of the bunch is Kuzma. He's still in the doghouse after his shortcomings last season, but if the Bucks use him at his natural position of power forward rather than a small forward, there's a chance he might be better. Kuzma has the potential to be the athletic defender and transition threat this team needs, but he will certainly be an "I'll believe it when I see it" player.
If Doc Rivers plays his cards right, matchup issues might not be something that hinders this team as much as they did last year. When one player is a bad matchup against a particular foe, he has a player on the bench with a far different skill set who may be more useful. As good as he was for most of his Bucks tenure, that was one of the reasons Milwaukee had to let Brook Lopez walk away.
Even behind these five, who will certainly command most of the minutes, the Milwaukee Bucks have two young players developing. Tyler Smith, the smooth-shooting soon-to-be sophomore, has plenty of potential to develop into something special. The same goes for Bogoljub Markovic, the versatile big man who is hoping to spend his rookie season stateside to learn from this versatile group.
Now, the questions shift to the point guard and small forward positions, where the Milwaukee Bucks have a total of two players. More moves are likely on the way, but it feels like forward and center are cemented as they are. That currently might not be such a bad thing.
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