Milwaukee Bucks 2014-15 Season Preview: Roster Breakdown, Win-Loss Prediction
After putting together a franchise-worst record in 2013-14, it's cliche to say that things can only get better for the Milwaukee Bucks when 2014-15 tips off.
But, despite the 15-67 record the team turned in a season ago, that's exactly the mentality needed to turn things around. And with an abundance of young talent, it's not unreasonable to think brighter days are right around the corner.
It didn't take long for the direction of the franchise to drastically change after the nightmare season, either.
New ownership, new coaching and some new roster additions were all part of a flurry of offseason moves that gave the Bucks a new, exciting look.
And while this team's true potential is several years off, 2014-15 is the beginning of what is hopefully a path back to success for Milwaukee.
What, then, is in store for fans in the immediate future?
Biggest Question Mark
By far the biggest question mark for the Bucks this season is Larry Sanders.
The big man had a tremendous 2012-13 season, averaging 9.8 points, 9.5 rebounds and 2.8 blocks en route to becoming one of the league's most intimidating interior defenders.
However, 2013-14 was a major letdown.
Sanders appeared in just 23 games due to injuring his thumb in a night club incident and subsequently fracturing his orbital bone.
It was a disappointment, to say the least.
And while his absence did allow John Henson to emerge as a legitimate interior defender—he averaged 1.7 blocks—Sanders' presence on a consistent basis would have given the Bucks a very good interior defense.
Instead, Henson was the team's only real paint presence on both ends of the floor.
In order for the Bucks to move forward successfully, Sanders not only needs to prove he can remain healthy, but he needs to deal with his emotional outbursts and off-court issues. Truthfully, it's those things preventing him from becoming one of the league's premier big men.
If a younger, more understanding coach like Jason Kidd can get through to Sanders, perhaps he can turn things around in 2014-15 and return to being a dominant interior presence on defense.
Best Five
Last season, Larry Drew toyed with an astonishing 27 different starting lineup combinations.
And while it's important to try different things when you're dealing with a team full of raw, young talent, it's also vital to establish some iota of consistency.
The roster hasn't changed significantly, but the emergence of Giannis Antetokounmpo and drafting of Jabari Parker will certainly mean fewer minutes for other players.
Discussion of the Greek Freak manning the point-guard role are certainly intriguing, but him playing long-term minutes at the 1 probably isn't going to happen on a consistent basis.
Ultimately, Milwaukee's best lineup will look like the one below:
PG: Brandon Knight
SG: O.J. Mayo
SF: Jabari Parker
PF: John Henson
C: Larry Sanders
That's right, Antetokounmpo is best-suited coming off the bench as the team's sixth man.
Why?
At this point, the youngster is still incredibly raw on the offensive end and is too inconsistent to provide the team with a real scoring threat. Not to mention, the spark he can bring off the bench with his energy and passion will be beneficial to the second unit.
The five aforementioned players provide the team with a good balance of offense and defense.
You won't find Knight and Mayo winning any Defensive Player of the Year awards, but both put forth the effort to defend and aren't terrible.
And while Parker's defensive struggles aren't a secret, he can prevent himself from becoming a liability with a focus on team defense and rotating properly.
With Sanders and Henson starting, Milwaukee finds itself possessing one of the most intimidating shot-blocking duos in the NBA, and that alone can help alleviate some of the pressure on the team's perimeter defense.
Offensively, Knight led the team in scoring a season ago, and Mayo has the capability of going off on any given night.
Parker's prowess for scoring was well-documented during his lone season at Duke, and Henson has continued to develop his low-post game, increasing his scoring average to 11.1 points in 2013-14.
Sanders himself is raw but, with continued work, can become a serviceable option in the interior.
Overall, these are the most well-balanced five players the Bucks can put on the floor at the same time—at least for now.
A Youthful Appearance
According to RealGM.com, the Bucks have an average roster age of 24.4, making them the third-youngest team in the league.
Leading that youth movement are Parker and Antetokounmpo.
Both players bring vastly different skill sets to the table, yet they are equally exciting and should be productive for the franchise well into the future.
Parker's readiness on the offensive end gives the Bucks a go-to scorer who is aggressive and who can usually get the shot that he wants.
Magic Giannison—that nickname will never get old, even if he doesn't play point—is a versatile, athletic freak who has the potential to turn into a special, two-way player if and when he rounds out his offensive arsenal.
With those two names garnering the most attention, it's easy to forget that Knight is just 22 years old himself and continues to develop at point guard.
Coming off his best season, he'll have the opportunity to become more of a distributor now that the team has more offensive weapons. Whether he'll recognize and embrace that opportunity is yet to be seen, but he can make just as big of an impact this season as he did last, just in a different way.
As a whole, this team is young and hungry. It might take some time, but if and when these guys reach their potential, the franchise will be in a good place.
Team Award Predictions
Most Valuable Player—Jabari Parker
Parker is a rookie and will certainly make his number of mistakes, but when the season comes to an end, the youngster is going to wind up being the team's biggest asset. He'll likely be given the green light on offense, and that alone should be enough to make his impact felt in a big way. But what he does this year will only be a glimpse of what he can do for the franchise from a long-term standpoint.
Defensive Player of the Year—Larry Sanders
Sanders will certainly have his doubters in 2014-15 and rightfully so. But regardless of how poorly he sometimes manages it, there's no questioning his passion for the game and desire to win. Everyone makes mistakes, and last season was one massive blunder. The chance to continue his downward spiral obviously exists, but it would be surprising for him not to have received a major wake-up call after last year.
Biggest Surprise of the Year—O.J. Mayo
Writing Mayo off after arguably his worst season as a professional is the easy thing to do. However, from all indications, he has taken the criticisms in stride and is dedicated to improving. According to Charles F. Gardner of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Mayo has shed 15 to 20 pounds during the offseason, and the veteran finished the preseason by averaging 16.7 points over the final four games.
Mr. Excitement—Giannis Antetokounmpo
With the scoring ability of Parker, the fancy passes from Kendall Marshall and shot-blocking ability of Sanders, the Bucks have a number of players who provide an ample amount of exciting plays. However, it's Antetokounmpo who will once again wow fans on both ends of the floor. Whether it's making a defensive play, sprinting back up the court and throwing down a dunk or going the length of the floor in two dribbles, he'll be sure to please fans once again in 2014-15.
Final Predictions
When compared to the 15-67 record they posted a season ago, this year will be a major improvement for the Bucks when the curtain closes on 2014-15.
No, they won't make the playoffs, but you had better believe this team will be competitive.
With the Philadelphia 76ers and Orlando Magic both in similar—or even worse—situations than them, the Bucks will dig themselves out of the Eastern Conference cellar and will be looking at a 13th-place finish.
If everything were to go really well, they might be able to move up a few spots, but that shouldn't be expected.
In terms of number of games won, look for Milwaukee to be around 23 to 25 wins when it's all said and done.
If assessing the team fairly and understanding that young players don't become experienced overnight, those numbers are both fair and realistic.
But what the numbers in the win and loss columns say this year won't speak to the direction the franchise is headed. It's all about the eye test. If players continue to show signs of developing and guys like Sanders can get back on track, the future in Milwaukee isn't as dim as it was prior to the offseason.
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