With training camp and the preseason inching closer, Milwaukee Bucks basketball is almost back.
Heading into camp, it feels like the top portion of Milwaukee's rotation is set in stone. Looking at the starting lineup, it feels pretty clear that it will be Lillard, Trent, Middleton, Antetokounmpo and Lopez. Off the bench, Portis, Wright and Prince will be in Doc Rivers' rotation.
With the top eight set in stone, there aren't any sizeable camp battles to determine starting spots or even primary minutes off the bench to keep an eye on like there were last year. However, there are still set to be some duels that could impact Milwaukee's rotation or roster moving forward.
With that said, let's analyze three of them.
Andre Jackson Jr. vs. AJ Green vs. Pat Connaughton
It feels like one of these players will earn minutes on the wing with the Milwaukee Bucks while the other two primary serve as spectators.
There's a case for each of the three. Andre Jackson Jr. showed in brief spurts last season that he can make an impact as a jack of all trades. AJ Green shot the lights out from three and showed growth on the defensive end. Pat Connaughton is an experienced veteran who has shown he can help this team win it all on the big stage.
It's clear that Rivers was a fan of Green last season, as he saw a nice uptick in minutes after the coach took over, and the Milwaukee Bucks clearly believe in him, having held him out of the Summer League. That certainly gives him the edge over Jackson, and it just might help him also leapfrog the veteran Connaughton, a prime trade candidate, who has struggled mightily over the past two seasons.
This will be a pivotal training camp for all three of these players, with two of them looking to prove that they belong in an NBA rotation while the other aims to show that he still has some juice.