Finally, let’s consider how the rest of the Bucks rotation can impact winning
After considering some non-talent-based contributions Bobby Portis, Brook Lopez, and Gary Trent Jr. could make, let’s quickly talk through how six other Bucks could marginally impact team success:
Delon Wright: point-of-attack defence
The offseason signing of Delon Wright was widely panned as a great move for Milwaukee; a career 35-percent three-point shooter who can do a bit off the bounce and, most importantly, guard at the point of attack! Perfect, no notes. Versatile two-way play was not something the team had much of last season. The role players were very one-dimensional. Beasley could shoot but couldn’t do much off the bounce or defend; Beverley could defend and do a bit off the bounce but couldn’t really shoot; Jackson could defend but had no offence whatsoever; Crowder didn’t really have any strengths by the end. It was truly like basketball Whac-A-Mole. Solve one problem, and another popped up.
Delon does a whole lot to help with that. You can throw him out there to eat 20-30 minutes each night without having to worry too much about lineup combinations and how to make up for a deficiency of his. In fact, I think this fit is so good defensively that I wouldn’t be surprised if Wright finishes games over Trent, or even ends up starting by playoff time. Plus, you only ever hear good things about him as a teammate and as a person. Cool beans!
Taurean Prince: wing defence
If you haven’t paid close attention to Taurean Prince’s career, you might assume, like I did, that he was your quintessential three-and-D wing. But the more you hear, the more it sounds as if he’s a solid three-point shooter but not exactly the do-it-all defender people think he is. With that said, I’ll plug Jacob Rude of Silver Screen and Roll, our Lakers sister site, who gave some insight into what Prince brings on that end in a recent Q&A:
How is Prince’s on-ball defence? At 6’6” with a seven-foot wingspan, is he big enough to guard the likes of Jayson Tatum and Paul George?
If Prince’s role on defence is defending wings, then he’s perfectly adequate at that. The Lakers had him as a point-of-attack defender early last season and it definitely did not work. If you’re starting him in hopes that he defends the ball handler that Damian Lillard can not, it won’t go well. If you want him to defend a bigger three-and-D wing, he was fine at that last season.
On that account, it sounds like as long as Taurean is guarding bigger wings who play more with power and strength as opposed to speed, he should fare OK. Prince will contribute to winning similarly to how Wright will: by doing exactly what he is good at. If Prince can give Milwaukee solid minutes each game guarding big wings, and occasionally survive on guards in a late switch, we’re golden! On offence, like most other Bucks role players, Taurean will mostly just have to make open threes, which he has done at nearly 40 percent over his career.
Pat Connaughton: off-ball defence
Pat Connaughton had a down year last season on both ends. His athleticism seemed to wane significantly, which really hurt his ability to stay in front of ball-handlers. On offence, his efficiency stayed about the same, but his volume of shots taken continued on a downward trend since the 2021/22 season.
There are valid questions about what Connaughton’s role will even be this year. Does he get excised from the rotation completely? With that said, one thing PC can do to help that takes no talent is being a better off-ball defender. Stop ball-watching and leaking out before the rebound has been secured, and for Pete’s sake, stay down on shot fakes! It’s an amusing gag that Pat will block about one in every five jump shots, but it’s simply an unsustainable way to play defence. Maybe this, paired with a better shooting year, can resuscitate Planet Pat, who really has been a fan favourite in the 414.
AJ Green: passing
Much like Khris Middleton, AJ Green really challenges you to think of something he doesn’t already do at a decent level when you remove factors he can’t control. By and large, AJ is quite a solid defender at his size, both on-ball and off-ball. He’s obviously a knock-down shooter, both off spot-ups and movement. Even so, one area for improvement is his passing; Green has averaged about half an assist per game over his first two seasons.
If you were to compare Green to Connaughton—which is likely to be a real training camp battle—the one area you’d still give PC the edge is passing. Accordingly, if Green can use his shooting gravity to attack more hard closeouts, draw two, and make the next play, that could be quite helpful for the team. And if AJ starts to become proficient in that, maybe he’ll even get some pick-and-roll reps and start making more advanced reads. You know, threaten the lob, draw the weak-side help, and kick to the opposite corner—that type of thing.
Andre Jackson Jr.: offensive awareness
Andre Jackson Jr. is coming off a rookie season that went better than most expected. We know, despite his proclivity to foul, that his strengths lie on defence. I might be higher on Jackson than most, but I really believe he has the potential to be a real difference maker on that end at some point. However, I am also under no illusion that he must reach a basic level of awareness on offence to progress in the rotation.
Firstly, shoot when you’re at the rim, my guy! You’re a nuclear athlete; don’t pass out, dunk the damn thing! Secondly, for all his reluctance to look at the rim, Andre does have a tendency to, out of nowhere, attempt a three when he isn’t open or set that leaves you doing the Nick Young meme—real ones know. The November 28 win in Miami last season provided a good example of this, where Jackson shot a transition three—with his legs crossed, no less!—and banked it in. It was truly the ultimate “no, no, no, yes!” shot. Hence, Andre will earn Doc Rivers’ trust on offence by dunking the easy ones and shooting the wide-open threes he’ll be given. At this stage, nothing more, nothing less.
MarJon Beauchamp: processing speed
If a decision hasn’t already been made on MarJon Beauchamp’s future after a disappointing Summer League, this year is likely his final chance. No need to belabour a point that has been made endlessly, but Beauchamp needs to show he can be additive next to the main guys. It’s hard when he’s still yet to develop a signature NBA skill. But at a minimum, MarJon can help the team by making quicker decisions with the ball—a goal reportedly already given to him by the Bucks coaching staff, as has been previously reported by The Athletic’s Eric Nehm. Whether it’s to pass, dribble, or shoot, just do it quickly and with conviction.
Final PSA:
Just because a player wasn’t included in this list, doesn’t necessarily mean they won’t be in the rotation. I purposely didn’t include players we don’t have a big enough NBA sample size of yet, because then I can’t really discuss simple ways they can help the team, which is the point of the article. For instance, it is plausible that Chris Livingston, AJ Johnson, or Tyler Smith plays over MarJon Beauchamp or possibly even Andre Jackson Jr.