The Milwaukee Bucks have plenty of flaws, but they reportedly still have a strong belief in their roster around Giannis Antetokounmpo, per ESPN's Jamal Collier. He reports that the Bucks believe they can dig themselves out of this current hole. As constructed at 14-20, that's likely just not happening, and yet another eye-roll-worthy loss to the now 8-24 Washington Wizards proves it.
The Bucks need to shake things up, and they need it now
With Giannis injured, sure, the Milwaukee Bucks had some hope that reintegrating him into the lineup could give this team a jolt. It did as they reeled off two straight wins right off the bat. Excluding small forward Taurean Prince, the Bucks are healthy for the first time in a long time. This felt like the perfect time to kick off a long win streak, but everything went wrong against the Wizards.
Giannis was Giannis, though his six turnovers hurt this team. Kyle Kuzma had a quiet night outside of his turnovers, which were loud. Gary Trent Jr. disappeared. Bobby Portis fell back into his old habits regarding his poor shot diet. AJ Green still can't get into a groove. The Wizards had 13 offensive rebounds because the Bucks still can't find a way to prevent teams from feasting in that regard.
Simply, there was no excuse for this one. The Milwaukee Bucks had it and let it slip away. That's who they have been this season. There's a good chance it's who they will continue to be until they make a move to try and alter their fate. The Bucks can believe in their roster all they want, but even with Giannis on the floor, they are 11-9 this season. Two games above .500 shouldn't move the needle.
So, what should the Milwaukee Bucks do? How do they get themselves out of this horrific slump and start winning games? It's time to shake up the roster or coaching staff.
There's been chatter building for the last several weeks that the Milwaukee Bucks are gearing up for a major move on the trade market, including targeting players like Michael Porter Jr. and Zach LaVine. That alone indicates the front office knows the current group cannot compete as well as they'd like, but rumors alone mean nothing. A big splash right now could give the Bucks some new life.
A coaching change could also be a nice boost. Doc Rivers isn't entirely at fault for Milwaukee's issues, but the same shortcomings have persisted since he first walked into the building. A new voice could inject some spirit into this team rather than living and dying by the same stale concepts. Yet, after what went down with Adrian Griffin, a mid-season coaching change may seem far-fetched.
The Bucks know they may be on the clock with Giannis Antetokounmpo. It's time to act accordingly. How many more crushing losses will it take?
Stay tuned for more Milwaukee Bucks analysis.