As things currently stand, the Milwaukee Bucks have filled out their 15-man standard roster and their three two-way slots after the signing of Gary Trent Jr.
Time will tell if this is the group the Bucks roll into the 2024-25 preseason with, as a trade could shake things up, but let us break down the depth chart, starting lineup and rotation as the roster is currently constructed.
The Milwaukee Bucks' current depth chart
Point guard - Damian Lillard, Delon Wright, AJ Johnson, Ryan Rollins (Two-way)
Shooting guard - Gary Trent Jr., AJ Green, Pat Connaughton, Andre Jackson Jr., Stanley Umude (Two-way)
Small forward - Khris Middleton, Taurean Prince, MarJon Beauchamp, Chris Livingston, Jaylin Galloway (Two-way)
Power forward - Giannis Antetokounmpo, Tyler Smith
Center - Brook Lopez, Bobby Portis
Milwaukee's front office did an excellent job of beefing up the point guard, shooting guard and small forward positions by bringing in Delon Wright, Gary Trent Jr. and Taurean Prince in NBA Free Agency. That goes without even mentioning that they acquired all of them on veteran's minimum contracts; talk about making something out of nothing.
Looking at the chart, it's clear that the Bucks are a bit thin in the frontcourt. They have a few bodies, but 19-year-old Tyler Smith likely won't be a key contributor from day one, leaving Giannis, Portis and Lopez to eat up most of the minutes at power forward and center. Due to his versatility, it wouldn't be surprising if Prince played a bit of power forward, especially when Milwaukee goes small.
The Bucks recently held a workout in Las Vegas for veteran free agents, and it was interesting to see that not a single big man was in attendance. Perhaps management feels comfortable enough with the group they have, but another big man for depth purposes wouldn't hurt. They should find at least one to bring aboard on a camp deal, such as Wisconsin Herd alum Wenyen Gabriel.
The Milwaukee Bucks' projected starting five
Before acquiring Trent, there were questions about how Milwaukee's starting lineup would shake out in 2024-25. Now, with him in the fold, it's almost a guarantee that the Bucks will utilize a starting group of Lillard, Trent, Middleton, Antetokounmpo and Lopez when they are at full strength. On paper, this is one of the best starting lineups this team has had in a long time.
Lillard and Trent, reuniting after a prior stint in Portland, will be a lethal shooting backcourt, which will free things up mightily down low for Antetokounmpo. There are questions about how they will hold up defensively, as neither are well-known defenders, but if they can at least be competitive on that side of things, it would help this lineup flourish.
Middleton will be penciled in as the first small forward if healthy. It's been reported that he underwent procedures on both of his ankles this off-season, which is certainly worrisome, given his recent injury history, but he is expected to be ready by the start of the season. If he does need more time to return to form, expect Taurean Prince to take his spot as the starting small forward temporarily.
There won't be any controversy in saying Antetokounmpo and Lopez will be the final two starters for the Milwaukee Bucks. Like last year, they'll be tasked with carrying a bulk of the load defensively, but with the sheer amount of offensive weapons in this lineup, they can focus more on that side of things than ever before.
Breaking down the Milwaukee Bucks' likely rotation
Starting five
The starting five was just talked about in depth on the prior slide.
Key reserves
Delon Wright, Taurean Prince and Bobby Portis will undeniably see prominent minutes off the bench.
Wright's value comes as a combo guard who brings excellent perimeter defense. He can play next to Lillard to focus more on defense or lead the bench unit as a floor general when Lillard needs to catch his breath. Prince brings versatility as a veteran 3-and-D player who can play either forward position, which will be useful in switching schemes and when the Bucks use their smaller lineups.
As he's done for the past few years, Bobby Portis will be used as a sparkplug to bring instant offense off of the bench. There's been a lot of chatter about him potentially being traded, but at this time, it feels like he will be staying put. Perhaps this will be the season he finally breaks through the wall and claims the Sixth Man of the Year honor for himself.
On the fence
It feels like two other players will have an opportunity to crack the rotation, and Doc Rivers will have a handful of different options.
AJ Green and Pat Connaughton will be fighting for minutes on the wing. With Green being held out of Summer League, it feels like the Bucks are confident in what he can bring to the table. He's one of the best shooters on the entire roster, and his defense is solid. One could argue that he's better suited to play over the veteran Connaughton, who has struggled to find a groove for the past two seasons.
MarJon Beauchamp and Andre Jackson Jr. will also be in the mix. However, with Beauchamp having a tough time in the Summer League and Jackson undergoing surgery, the road is far tougher for these two to carve out a role for themselves. Could Chris Livingston sneak his way in there? He has been an impressive performer in the Summer League, showing that he may be ready for more responsibility.
Break glass in case of emergency
The two rookies and three two-way players all land here. While both AJ Johnson and Tyler Smith have shown glimpses of potential in the Summer League, they're both so raw as players that their first year will likely be all about learning. If an injury were to occur, perhaps one of these two could be thrown into the fire, but outside of that, it's quite unlikely.
This is a very nice roster, but there's no guarantee that this is the set in stone group, as Jon Horst may look to shake things up further.
Stay tuned for more Milwaukee Bucks analysis.