A passing of the torch is underway on the Bucks' bench (and for good reason)

It's been an eventful start to the season for these Milwaukee Bucks. From the rough and tumble schemes with neither rhyme nor reason on both ends of the floor out the gate, they're playing much more purposefully and intentionally these days. After starting the season at 2-8, they're now the fifth seed in the Eastern Conference with an 11-9 record.

They're certainly not a finished product just yet, but they've, at the very least, found some orientation amid a disorienting start. And through it all, the Milwaukee Bucks have steadily witnessed a quiet but significant shift in their rotation, and it's all happening on the bench.

Anyone who's paying close attention to the on-court product can see this; at this point, AJ Green has almost totally supplanted veteran Pat Connaughton in Doc Rivers' lineup, and the numbers back up why this changing of the guard is long overdue. Green is having a breakout year, showcasing his versatility on both ends of the floor.

Pat Connaughton has (unofficially) passed the torch to AJ Green as the two-way glue guy

Many look at Green and see another shooter, and that's fair. After all, Green’s shooting has been a revelation on the offensive side of the ball. His quick-release 3-point shot demands the sharpest form of defensive attention, creating more space for Milwaukee's stars to operate.

He’s hitting a scorching hot 49.5 percent of his attempts from deep this season, and his ability to score off the catch or after using screens has made him a dependable weapon in Rivers' system. But it’s not just his shooting that stands out. AJ Green has become a sneaky-good passer, using his basketball IQ to make smart decisions in transition and the half-court.

But it still feels like a little-known fact that Green has been just as impressive on the defensive end. While he lacks Connaughton’s athletic explosiveness, Green’s positioning and awareness make him a more reliable team defender. He navigates screens effectively and shows strong instincts in help defense, often disrupting plays without gambling for steals. His ability to guard multiple positions without being a liability has solidified his role.

According to matchup data on NBA.com/stats, both guards and forwards are only converting on 43 percent and below of their attempts whenever Green is the closest defender. That doesn't just paint a picture of a stout defender - it also shows a switchable one. The advanced stats back this up: when Green steps onto the court, the Bucks are giving up 6.8 fewer points per 100 possessions compared to when he is on the bench, according to PBP Stats.

He's also starting to become an excellent intangibles guy, too. While he isn't what you would call a do-it-all kind of Swiss army knife — he's yet to best Connaughton as a rebounder, after all — he's beginning to find ways to affect the game even when he isn't scoring or locking down. To this point, he already seems to have an acute sense of how his gravity opens up lanes for Dame and Giannis, so he's using his movement to make plays that aren't always obvious.

One way he does this is in the inverted pick-and-roll with Giannis, or by using ghost screens to get himself open for three while defenses clock in on Antetokounmpo. That's been one of his secret weapons as of late, and it actually slots in perfectly to the role that Pat Connaughton once played for the Greek Freak a few seasons back.

The Bucks are reaping the rewards of giving a young, high-energy player like Green the minutes that used to belong to Connaughton. While Connaughton remains a beloved figure for his contributions to Milwaukee’s 2021 championship run, the Bucks’ focus is on what works now—and Green’s breakout season is a big part of that equation.

AJ Green's explosion may be proof that Connaughton's best days are behind him

The fact of the matter is that Connaughton very well could be on his way out.

After registering DNP-CDs and playing reduced minutes for quite a while now, he’s no doubt the odd one out with the return of Milwaukee’s smooth-shooting swingman. Green and Trent are still capable of going off with their shooting, while Prince and Jackson Jr. are still excellent defenders in their own right. With the starting and backup wing positions all but locked up, there is simply no scenario where Doc Rivers finds the need for what Pat Connaughton brings (or doesn’t bring) to the court.

As Milwaukee pushes for another title, this passing of the torch has been the bench spark they’ve been missing. It's no longer a question of whether AJ Green can actually take the veteran's minutes — but of how good he can still get now that he has them. That can only mean good things for the Milwaukee Bucks going forward.

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