Damian Lillard's Achilles tear certainly complicates things for the Milwaukee Bucks.
Commonly regarded as one of the worst injuries in sports, recovering from this will not be easy for a 34-year-old guard. As determined as Lillard will be, there is currently no timetable on his return to the basketball court. There's a chance he could very well miss all of next season. His absence means the Milwaukee Bucks need to address the point guard position this offseason.
That starts with two of their own soon to be free agents.
Bucks should aim to retain both of their floor generals
Outside of Damian Lillard, the Milwaukee Bucks currently do not have a point guard scheduled to be under contract next season. Kevin Porter Jr. has a player option worth $2.5 million, while Ryan Rollins will be an outright free agent. Retaining both would make plenty of sense for the Milwaukee Bucks as they aim to stay afloat with their franchise guard out of the lineup for the time being.
Kevin Porter Jr. certainly wasn't perfect in his playoff debut with the Bucks, but there's no doubt that the upside of there for the 24-year-old. There were plenty of games post NBA Trade Deadline where he flexed tremendous scoring, defense and facilitating. On a larger scale, such as a potential starting role full time next season, perhaps he could take another step.
As for Rollins, he has untapped potential begging to be unearthed. After playing just 25 games with no starts during his first two NBA seasons, he burst onto the scene early in the season with his 56 regular-season appearances, featuring 19 starts. Rollins suffered a shoulder injury in November that could have taken him out for the year, but he powered through in what was his best season yet.
With a surgically-repaired shoulder, Rollins could be even better next season. The 22-year-old has a body built for being a defensive pest with a sturdy frame and impressive wingspan. On top of that, the youngster can play either guard spot, providing pristine shooting, scoring and passing. There's a lot to like about him, and more could come to the surface in an increased role.
Of course, the Milwaukee Bucks could go out and trade for or sign other players to fill the void left in Damian Lillard's absence, but it would make sense to focus on these in-house guards. Building upon the youth the roster had this season is a logical course of action.
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