There has been no shortage of subplots in what has simply been a chaotic season of basketball for the Milwaukee Bucks.
One such storyline involved the early season duel between Delon Wright and Ryan Rollins as the pair jockeyed for the role of backup point guard. While Wright was the clear-cut answer entering the NBA season, Rollins' abrupt rise sparked some competition. Ultimately, Wright's veteran status could not help him secure the job, and Rollins earned the nod. It was fascinating to follow.
While it seemed all but inevitable that Rollins, currently playing on a two-way contract, would remain Milwaukee's backup ball-handler and earn himself a standard contract, things have grown much more complicated over the past few days. Milwaukee's trade deadline deal for Kevin Porter Jr. not only saw the team bring in another guard, but it also gave Rollins some new competition.
Rollins, Porter may battle for minutes off Milwaukee Bucks' bench
In Milwaukee's most recent game, a tough loss to the Warriors, Doc Rivers clearly wanted to look at both Ryan Rollins and Kevin Porter Jr. Despite Rollins being there for longer, it was Porter who ate up more of the playing time between the tandem, with the latter logging 10 minutes compared to Rollins' six-and-a-half. Neither player flat-out dazzled, so it wouldn't be surprising if this continued.
The fascinating thing about this potential in-house battle brewing is that each Bucks guard can help this team in different ways.
Rollins is a scrappy, do-it-all floor general who is a strong one-on-one defender and capable passer. Meanwhile, Porter is the smooth bucket-getter who can get hot and go off at any moment - he had an incredible 50-point night against the Bucks in 2021 - while also being a disruptor defensively. The big differences between the two give Doc Rivers plenty to sort through when deciding.
Does a world exist where both Porter and Rollins can play? Yes, but in a rotation that already features AJ Green, Gary Trent Jr. and Andre Jackson Jr., it will be tough for both to get significant minutes at the guard spot on a nightly basis. It seems like one player will end up claiming the bulk of the duties as Milwaukee's backup point guard.
Right now, it feels like Kevin Porter Jr. has to have the edge. While he is the new guy in town, he does have a standard contract, unlike Rollins. Of course, the Milwaukee Bucks could change that after they opened up a roster spot at the deadline, but they haven't yet. Had they not traded for Porter, it feels as if they would have given it to Rollins already. However, they may want to see this battle unfold first.
Stay tuned for more Milwaukee Bucks analysis.