Doc Rivers is costing the Bucks with this questionable rotation decision

With a retooled Milwaukee Bucks roster that boasts superstars like Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard, expectations are naturally sky-high for a team with title aspirations.

In the early days of the 2024-25 NBA season, the Milwaukee Bucks have already found themselves in a precarious position. They just dropped two in a row against teams that are weaker on paper, with their only win so far coming at the expense of the shorthanded Philadelphia 76ers.

It wasn't even that they lost, but how; a cursory glance at the on-court product will show there's simply a lot that's going wrong for the Bucks at the moment. Their offensive schemes look clunky and unimaginative, while Brook Lopez's brand of drop coverage is looking more and more incompatible with the modern NBA by the day.

Both Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard are looking absent and noncommittal even with the numbers they're putting up.

But there's one puzzling decision by head coach Doc Rivers that is completely self-inflicted: the continued reliance on veteran Pat Connaughton over more athletic and more promising young talents. If this keeps up, this rotation choice could be dooming the Milwaukee Bucks' title aspirations before they even get off the ground.

After a solid first outing, Bucks' Pat Connaughton is back to his old ways

While Connaughton's contributions during the 2021 championship run are well-remembered, recent performances suggest that his best days may be behind him.

Matchup data thus far on NBA.com/stats is proof enough. With Connaughton as the closest defender, players like Kelly Oubre Jr. and Julian Philips converted on all their attempts. Coby White, who was singlehandedly responsible for Chicago's hot shooting in the Bucks loss, shot 4-of-7 (57.1 percent) when defended by Connaughton, per NBA.com/stats. Kyle Lowry and Tyrese Maxey shot 50 percent.

On offense, Connaughton has put up a collective 6-of-19 (31.5 percent) shooting clip through three games, while sinking just three of his 13 attempts from behind the 3-point line. Opposing defenders are visibly content to sag off him, which only affects the Bucks' ball-handlers on drives to the basket. Most of Connaughton's makes thus far have come from wide-open shots at the rim.

Against the Brooklyn Nets, Connaughton gave up a flagrant foul at a time when the Bucks were only just beginning to take back momentum at around the seven-minute mark in the fourth quarter. He finished a net-minus 14, second-worst on the team behind Bobby Portis, who at least kept the game close with his scoring.

While Connaughton was once upon a time a versatile, do-it-all type of wing for the Bucks, his play on the court has only continued to deteriorate through the years. Today, fans can see that the 6-foot-5 shooting guard is a net negative on the court, with poor effort and undisciplined play only adding to his shooting woes and defensive struggles.

Connaughton's rotation minutes are at the cost of development and wins

At this point, one has to wonder why Rivers continues to stick with the 31-year-old Connaughton when his minutes are so clearly to the detriment of the team. Prioritizing veterans makes sense closer to the playoffs, but not in losing games in October.

It is not as if the roster is without options, either. MarJon Beauchamp, for instance, is simply the more athletic player. AJ Green is a better and quicker sharpshooter, while Andre Jackson Jr. is a better rebounder and defender. AJ Johnson is a tantalizing project as a ball-handler, while Tyler Smith offers more size and floor-spacing.

The NBA is increasingly dominated by teams that prioritize youth and athleticism—qualities that Connaughton lacks at this stage of his career. By sticking with Connaughton over younger options like Green and Jackson Jr., Rivers may be dooming the Milwaukee Bucks to mediocrity.

As other teams continue to invest in the development of dynamic young players who can contribute immediately, Milwaukee risks falling behind if they don’t adapt. Connaughton's minutes have also robbed players like Beauchamp of the opportunity to develop on the court and get their rookie mistakes out of the way early.

Doc Rivers' insistence on playing Connaughton over younger prospects like AJ Green and Andre Jackson Jr. could be a critical misstep for the Milwaukee Bucks as they aim for another championship run.

As the season progresses, it will be essential for Rivers to reassess his rotation strategy and embrace the potential of youth over nostalgia. If not, Milwaukee risks not just losing games but also squandering precious opportunities to cultivate their next generation of stars—an outcome no one associated with this storied franchise can afford to ignore.

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