Cole Anthony looked exactly like the microwave scorer Milwaukee hoped they signed in the preseason. Fans raved about their new smooth-shooting microwave off the bench. That is, until the foul trouble started rearing its ugly head and reminded everyone why Orlando moved on.
Three fouls in two and a half minutes against Washington. That's not just a rough start, that's a red flag waving frantically in Doc Rivers' face about whether Anthony can actually stay on the floor when games matter.
Cole Anthony's issues defending without fouling are still there
The offensive stuff is already there, and at this point in his career, it's always going to be. That's his strength. He can create his own shot and sink them in big moments. He's already shown he can be a genuine X-factor off the bench when his scoring gets rolling. Milwaukee desperately needs that kind of punch from their second unit.
But none of that matters if he's sitting with foul trouble every other game. Rivers can't build rotations around a guy who picks up three quick ones and spends the rest of the night watching from the bench. That's how you lose leads and blow winnable games.
Truth be told, part of it is that his size will probably always be a concern. That's just how things work in a league where everyone has to be able to shoot and defend.
At 6-foot-2 in shoes, Anthony is giving up height to most NBA guards. That's still surmountable in theory, but the problem starts when he tries to compensate with aggression that referees love calling fouls on. That's a brutal combination for a bench player who needs to provide instant energy without creating problems.
At the end of the day, though, size isn't everything in this league. Just look at how guys like Ryan Rollins and AJ Green can excel on that end of the floor despite being just 6-foot-4. What Anthony needs to do is figure out how to be physical without being reckless and learn to defend with positioning instead of reaching.
But this is a skill Anthony will likely have to learn in a hurry. For any coaching staff, having to worry about constant foul trouble from Anthony also kills his best attribute: offensive rhythm. Anthony's value comes from getting hot and staying hot for eight to maybe 10-minute stretches. When he's constantly worried about picking up his fourth foul, that aggression disappears, and suddenly he's just another undersized guard who can't defend.
The coaching staff simply doesn't have the luxury of playing guys who hurt the team on one end, even if they help on the other. We've seen this in the past with guys like Bryn Forbes or DJ Augustin.
But as it currently stands, the fact of the matter is, his defensive issues will eventually cost him minutes in a defense-first system like Milwaukee's.
And that would be an incredible shame because his offensive talent is legitimately valuable. One game doesn't define a season, but foul trouble is usually a pattern, not an anomaly. If this keeps happening, Anthony's minutes will shrink fast regardless of how well he scores.
With Kevin Porter Jr. possibly sidelined for the next game due to a sprain, Cole Anthony will have all the opportunity in the world to lock in on defense and prove his doubters wrong.
The talent is obvious. The concern is equally clear. Milwaukee needs the first without dealing with the second.