NBA Preview: Bucks begin uncertain life after Giannis Antetokounmpo

For 13 years, the Bucks knew exactly who they were. They were Giannis Antetokounmpo’s team. Everything else followed from there.

That era officially ended in June, when Milwaukee traded the two-time MVP to the Heat for a package headlined by Tyler Herro, Kel’el Ware, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Kasparas Jakucionis and draft picks.

Now comes the hard part. The Bucks must build an identity without the greatest player in franchise history. They must also do it with a roster that looks less like a finished product and more like several different ideas sharing the same locker room.

What changed

Antetokounmpo wasn’t the only familiar face to leave. Bobby Portis went to Miami as part of the deal, further separating these Bucks from the team that won the 2021 championship.

Milwaukee hired Taylor Jenkins as coach and selected Brayden Burries with the No. 10 pick. Caris LeVert was added to a crowded collection of guards and wings, while Gary Trent Jr. received a four-year, $64 million contract after a disappointing season.

Then there is Myles Turner, who signed a four-year, $107 million deal one summer earlier in what became an unsuccessful attempt to help keep Antetokounmpo happy.

As written by ESPN, the Bucks have yet to find a trade partner for Turner. That leaves Jenkins with a roster featuring established veterans, developing prospects and several players who could become trade candidates before the season is over.

The Bucks aren’t starting from nothing. They just don’t appear entirely certain where they’re going.

The biggest question

What qualifies as success? Milwaukee is rebuilding but does not control its 2027 first-round pick. Losing as many games as possible would therefore accomplish very little.

The Bucks could hand the offense to Herro, Turner and Trent and attempt to hang around the Eastern Conference play-in race. They could also prioritize younger players such as Ware, Burries, Ryan Rollins and Jakucionis, accepting the mistakes that come with development.

Most likely, they’ll attempt to do both. Herro gives Milwaukee a proven scorer and a hometown connection after growing up in Wisconsin. He also arrives as the most recognizable player acquired for Antetokounmpo, which means he will carry expectations that have little to do with anything he can control.

No one replaces Giannis. Herro’s job is to help the Bucks discover what comes next.

The X-factor

Ware may be the most interesting piece of Milwaukee’s return.

The 7-footer can finish around the basket, stretch the floor and protect the rim. He also struggled to earn Erik Spoelstra’s complete trust in Miami, largely because his production and effort were not always consistent. The opportunity should be there with the Bucks.

Turner and Kyle Kuzma may begin ahead of him in the frontcourt rotation, but neither should stand between Milwaukee and a serious evaluation of Ware’s future. If he develops into a dependable two-way big man, the Antetokounmpo trade will look considerably better.

If not, he becomes another prospect the Bucks took a chance on during a summer filled with them.

The outlook

ESPN’s Basketball Power Index ranks Milwaukee 28th entering the season. That may be slightly harsh, given the amount of legitimate NBA experience on the roster.

Still, the Bucks were outscored by 7.7 points per game during their 46 games without Antetokounmpo last season. A few intriguing additions don’t erase that evidence.

Milwaukee could compete for one of the final play-in positions if Herro has a big year, Turner remains productive and Jenkins quickly establishes a functional rotation. That is the optimistic version.

The more important work will take longer. The Bucks need to determine which young players matter, which veterans should be moved and what type of team they intend to build around their collection of future picks.

For more than a decade, Giannis provided all the direction Milwaukee needed. The Bucks are on their own now.