3 Lineup combinations that could dictate Milwaukee Bucks' success in 2024-25

As a whole, the Milwaukee Bucks just didn't fit that well last season.

With the Damian Lillard trade abruptly happening just days before camp, the Bucks weren't built to complement his style of play. The roster was constructed to employ Jrue Holiday, a defensive guard, not Lillard, a superstar offensive talent. That created plenty of awkward lineups, forcing players who were not well-regarded defenders to play key roles on that end. It didn't exactly work out well.

After battling that all of last season, Milwaukee's front office spent the 2024 offseason tweaking the roster to make sure this group meshed better, at least on paper, than they did during the 2024-25 campaign. Now, with their 15-man standard roster likely set, head coach Doc Rivers will have plenty of options to choose from when crafting his lineups, and it should be easier than it was last year.

With all of that now said, let's highlight three five-man units that could dictate the team's success this coming season.

Their likely starting lineup

Lillard, Trent, Middleton, Antetokounmpo and Lopez.

It'd be shocking if this wasn't the starting lineup the Milwaukee Bucks trotted out on opening night of the 2024-25 season.

The top four returning from last year, Lillard, Middleton, Antetokounmpo and Lopez, are all clear-cut starters under Doc Rivers, and Gary Trent Jr. seems like the obvious pick to start at shooting guard. One would have to think that was part of the pitch to get Trent to sign with Milwaukee on a minimum deal in the first place, offering him a large role on a contender to get his value up.

On paper, this group fits well. While there was oftentimes an injury that limited the time they spent on the court together, the core four of Lillard, Middleton, Anetokounmpo and Lopez often clicked when they were fortunate enough to share of the court. Adding Trent, an electric floor spacer who should thrive with the good looks he gets, should not change that. In fact, he should only elevate it.

The primary question with this lineup is what Trent will provide defensively. In the backcourt, he'll have to take pressure off of Lillard by accounting for the more difficult matchups. He's shown glimpses of strong defensive potential throughout his career, but now, he must brace for the most responsibility on that side of the floor that he's ever endured.

As the first five, these are the tone setters who will primarily dictate the Milwaukee Bucks' success.