The Milwaukee Bucks' Las Vegas Summer League campaign didn't get off to the best of starts, falling to a 119-86 defeat to the Miami Heat on Friday. There is plenty of work to do, and 2025 second-round pick Bogoljub Markovic is a prime example. He has shown flashes of potential, but the next step in his development is to increase his physicality.
No rush with Markovic, but he still needs to get stronger
When the Serbian was drafted, it was clear that he was not going to have an immediate impact and that it would take time. Another year in the ABA League with Mega Basket allowed him to further develop and continue playing against physical opponents, earning him the MVP and Top Prospect awards.
Compared to when he was drafted, he clearly has bulked up. However, Friday's defeat showed there is still more work for him to do to impact the game in the paint at the NBA level.
He finished the game with six points, five rebounds, two assists, and two blocks while going 3-of-10 (30 percent) from the field. It was never always going to be smooth sailing watching the big man, but it is clear where he needs to improve to really nail down his spot in the rotation and prove the Bucks were right to give him a four-year deal.
Where does Markovic fit in this year's rotation?
With the Bucks surprisingly re-signing Gary Trent Jr. to a four-year deal, Milwaukee is now at 17 standard contracts, so they have to cut down to the roster limit of 15.
As it stands, Markovic is likely the third-string power forward behind Kyle Kuzma and Ousmane Dieng on the depth chart. Yes, moves will be made, and the Bucks have a very flexible roster now that can switch all over the court.
What is clear is that Markovic can be a long-term center option if the Bucks wanted to, but right now, he just doesn't have that physicality to guard at the five just yet. The roster changes prior to the season starting will dictate how much he plays early on. However, the likelihood is he'll be towards the end of the rotation and will be someone the Bucks look to increase time for as the season goes on.
Offensively, the skill set is there for Markovic, but there is no doubting that there is room to grow. The 3-point shooting needs work to build some consistency. He can make the shots; he is just so up and down from beyond the arc this early into his career. If he can do that while also getting more physical close to the hoop, he can become a legitimate offensive contributor.
Markovic is a work in progress, and there is a lot to like about him, but also a lot to work on. It starts with him getting stronger, as he isn't quite at the physicality needed for the NBA, but he'll get there.
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