Suns' hot start highlights 2 critical errors that are haunting Bucks

With the Phoenix Suns tearing through the early season, it’s becoming painfully clear that the Milwaukee Bucks may have shot themselves in the foot with a pair of missteps that are casting a shadow over their own start.

While the Suns seem poised and primed for contention, the Bucks are left wondering if they made the right calls at two critical junctures: their head coach selection and a draft-night decision that left defensive potential on the board.

Milwaukee's coaching carousel went from Budenholzer to... Rivers?

It was only last year that the Bucks made the gut-wrenching call to part ways with Mike Budenholzer, who had led the franchise to nearly unprecedented levels of success nearly immediately upon his hiring.

The decision came after another premature playoff exit, reportedly as Budenholzer was going through a personal tragedy. While Budenholzer’s tenure included the Bucks' 2021 championship, the front office felt they needed a fresh voice.

In came Adrian Griffin—an absolute gamble of a hire, given his lack of experience as a head coach and the other names available on the market at the time. The hope at the time was that his defensive-minded approach and history as an assistant would mesh with their veteran roster. But Griffin’s brief tenure proved rocky, evidenced by early tensions with assistant coach Terry Stotts.

Throughout the season, the team seemed to struggle to adjust to his style and direction, and these growing pains were on display despite their 30-13 record to start.

When Griffin was finally booted out, the Bucks were leaning towards hiring a proven developmental coach in Kenny Atkinson until Bucks ownership forced the front office into going a different direction: hiring Doc Rivers, a veteran coach with a long career, even with his playoff missteps.

Rivers has tried to implement his schemes as best as he can, but the early returns have admittedly been shaky at best. Milwaukee’s defense is often out of sync, and Rivers' rotations have left fans scratching their heads, especially with players like Pat Connaughton seeing minutes over younger, more athletic options.

Looking at Phoenix’s stable coaching situation, it’s hard not to wonder if the Milwaukee Bucks’ coaching carousel has cost them early momentum—and could continue to haunt them if Rivers fails to find the balance Budenholzer once did.

Milwaukee's draft night decision solved none of their immediate needs

The Milwaukee Bucks' second error was made on draft night this past summer. Milwaukee, aware of its aging core, opted to pick up guard AJ Johnson, an explosive scorer with high potential but one who is raw on the defensive end.

With a team already laden with offensive firepower thanks to Giannis Antetokounmpo and Lillard, Johnson’s skillset felt a little redundant. The Bucks, at the time, were in desperate need of someone who could inject defensive toughness and versatility—qualities they passed on by ignoring defensive specialist Ryan Dunn, who was still available when their pick came up.

Dunn, a gritty forward with the size and IQ to guard multiple positions, would have been a perfect fit for Milwaukee’s roster, especially given their lack of defensive depth in the frontcourt.

Per NBA.com/stats, opposing scorers have shot 27-of-77 with Dunn as the closest defender, good for 35.1 percent efficiency. Dunn is also splitting his time defending guards, forwards and bigs alike and getting good results regardless. And despite early concerns about Dunn's ability to space the floor effectively, he's putting up 6.8 points per game while shooting 39.4 percent from behind the 3-point line.

Watching the Suns deploy defensive stoppers and role players who complement their stars, Bucks fans can’t help but wonder if Dunn could’ve added some much-needed stability and presence on that end of the floor. Instead, AJ Johnson has shown flashes but lacks the defensive fundamentals Milwaukee needs.

As it currently stands, the Bucks are allowing 115.7 points per 100 possessions through their first nine contests—a figure good for 22nd in the league that, with Dunn in the rotation, might have looked a lot more respectable.

Milwaukee's missteps are starting to pile up, and their luck is running out

These two errors—the head-scratching coaching hires and the draft-day oversight—are starting to add up for the Milwaukee Bucks, especially as they try to keep pace with teams like the Suns, who have seemingly made the right moves at the right times.

None of this is to say that Budenholzer was a perfect coach or that Dunn was the clear-cut best choice for the Milwaukee Bucks at that point in time. This writer has, admittedly, been extremely critical of Bud's playoff adjustments while advocating for more playing time for the young Johnson to see what he might be able to give.

This is only to point out that at the moment, Phoenix is thriving with a clear identity, solid defensive contributors, and a coach who brings out the best in their roster. Milwaukee, meanwhile, is feeling the weight of uncertainty and inconsistency in two areas that could have been resolved with a more strategic approach.

Only time will tell if the Bucks can make up for these early-season regrets, but for now, these are haunting errors that highlight just how fine the line can be between competing for a championship and stumbling through the season.

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