The Milwaukee Bucks have turned the page to a completely new era last season.
After drafting Giannis Antetokounmpo back in the summer of 2013 and having the worst record in their history (17-65) during the 2013-14 season, the Bucks had 5 continuous seasons of improving their record for each and every season that followed by continuously building around Giannis, which has resulted to the team having a parallel to Antetokoumpo's progress and ended up with Giannis winning the MVP and the Bucks ending with the best record in the league (60-22) during the 2018-19 season.
Although not making it to the 2019 NBA finals (which could have caused winning the title as things turned out to be with the Warriors being plagued with injuries during the playoffs) but only to the ECF, the Bucks have survived a very difficult off season by succeeding to keep most of their key core of players and although they lost a starter on Malcom Brogdon, they've have achieved to add even more proven veterans, as well as expand their future promising roster depth.
Even more important, the Bucks have financially secured a long term contending roster surrounding Giannis, which ensures that as long as "the Greek Freak" will remain with the team long term, the Bucks will retain their contending for the title capability for many years to come.
Therefore the key points for further success for the Bucks this season will be:
1. To ensure that Giannis resigns a 5-years extension next off season, which he is eligible to do one year before his current contract expires.
This will be secured if the Bucks do better than last season and therefore prove to (only 24yo) Giannis that staying with the team will ensure a future which will enable him to contend among the best for all his (long) remaining career.
In order for the Bucks to achieve that in a league that has had most of the teams significantly improving this off season, the Bucks may have to upgrade the roster further via trades by next February. Therefore the Bucks should be expected to be quite active until the trade deadline.
2. To find a way so that Brogdon's loss won't have a negative impact on the roster's performance.
Brogdon's role with the Bucks was more than the 40/50/90 scoring achievement he had last season suggests. Brogdon had playmaking, assisting the ball and court vision skills that enabled the Bucks to retain advanced playmaking coming from the guards in order to support, space the floor and make things easier for the forwards, these playmaking skils are not included on what the additions of Matthews or Korver bring in the Bucks roster with their game.
The Bucks even added Hill last season (who's game much resembles Malcom's) in order to be able and rotate Bledsoe and Brogdon while keeping two play-making able guards on the floor for an entire game.
Therefore, after keeping Hill but loosing Brogdon, it should be expected that Hill takes Brogdon's (crucial) role, but this would require for either Divicenzo or/and Brown to further advance their playmaking skills in order to be able and fully support Bledsoe/Hill, or the Bucks may have to add another combo guard via trade in order to make back for Brogdon's loss.
3. The Bucks luck a proven and reliable 3/4 combo wing in their roster.
Last season the Bucks added Nikola Mirotic and therefore the coaching team was able to choose whether to play a "3 guards on the floor" or a "3 towers on the floor" line up after mid season. After losing Mirotic, the only other solution the Bucks have if the game requires a "3-towers on the floor" line-up, is to move Giannis at SF and have one out of Ilyasova/Wilson taking over the PF roster spot, but surely Giannis is less effective when playing at SF unless his long shot effectiveness steps up and becomes consistent. Of course, the Bucks have added Thanasis Antetokounmpo and Cam Reynolds in their line-up, but both are yet unproven if they can successfully handle such a roll in crucial games.
Therefore the Bucks may have to trade for a proven and reliable 3/4 combo wing by the trade deadline.
I believe that if the Bucks will achieve to add a proven PG/SG combo guard and another proven SF/PF by the trade deadline this season, they should be considered to be the favorites to win the NBA title this season.
After drafting Giannis Antetokounmpo back in the summer of 2013 and having the worst record in their history (17-65) during the 2013-14 season, the Bucks had 5 continuous seasons of improving their record for each and every season that followed by continuously building around Giannis, which has resulted to the team having a parallel to Antetokoumpo's progress and ended up with Giannis winning the MVP and the Bucks ending with the best record in the league (60-22) during the 2018-19 season.
Although not making it to the 2019 NBA finals (which could have caused winning the title as things turned out to be with the Warriors being plagued with injuries during the playoffs) but only to the ECF, the Bucks have survived a very difficult off season by succeeding to keep most of their key core of players and although they lost a starter on Malcom Brogdon, they've have achieved to add even more proven veterans, as well as expand their future promising roster depth.
Even more important, the Bucks have financially secured a long term contending roster surrounding Giannis, which ensures that as long as "the Greek Freak" will remain with the team long term, the Bucks will retain their contending for the title capability for many years to come.
Therefore the key points for further success for the Bucks this season will be:
1. To ensure that Giannis resigns a 5-years extension next off season, which he is eligible to do one year before his current contract expires.
This will be secured if the Bucks do better than last season and therefore prove to (only 24yo) Giannis that staying with the team will ensure a future which will enable him to contend among the best for all his (long) remaining career.
In order for the Bucks to achieve that in a league that has had most of the teams significantly improving this off season, the Bucks may have to upgrade the roster further via trades by next February. Therefore the Bucks should be expected to be quite active until the trade deadline.
2. To find a way so that Brogdon's loss won't have a negative impact on the roster's performance.
Brogdon's role with the Bucks was more than the 40/50/90 scoring achievement he had last season suggests. Brogdon had playmaking, assisting the ball and court vision skills that enabled the Bucks to retain advanced playmaking coming from the guards in order to support, space the floor and make things easier for the forwards, these playmaking skils are not included on what the additions of Matthews or Korver bring in the Bucks roster with their game.
The Bucks even added Hill last season (who's game much resembles Malcom's) in order to be able and rotate Bledsoe and Brogdon while keeping two play-making able guards on the floor for an entire game.
Therefore, after keeping Hill but loosing Brogdon, it should be expected that Hill takes Brogdon's (crucial) role, but this would require for either Divicenzo or/and Brown to further advance their playmaking skills in order to be able and fully support Bledsoe/Hill, or the Bucks may have to add another combo guard via trade in order to make back for Brogdon's loss.
3. The Bucks luck a proven and reliable 3/4 combo wing in their roster.
Last season the Bucks added Nikola Mirotic and therefore the coaching team was able to choose whether to play a "3 guards on the floor" or a "3 towers on the floor" line up after mid season. After losing Mirotic, the only other solution the Bucks have if the game requires a "3-towers on the floor" line-up, is to move Giannis at SF and have one out of Ilyasova/Wilson taking over the PF roster spot, but surely Giannis is less effective when playing at SF unless his long shot effectiveness steps up and becomes consistent. Of course, the Bucks have added Thanasis Antetokounmpo and Cam Reynolds in their line-up, but both are yet unproven if they can successfully handle such a roll in crucial games.
Therefore the Bucks may have to trade for a proven and reliable 3/4 combo wing by the trade deadline.
I believe that if the Bucks will achieve to add a proven PG/SG combo guard and another proven SF/PF by the trade deadline this season, they should be considered to be the favorites to win the NBA title this season.
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