5 Reasons the NBA Should Fear the Deer in 2016
Coming into the 2015-16 NBA season, few up-and-coming teams were surrounded by as much buzz as the Milwaukee Bucks. And despite a rocky start, their versatility, youth, potential, size and team-first mentality should still give squads around the NBA reason to fear the deer.
All of the above was on display when the Bucks put an end to the Golden State Warriors undefeated season in early December. Three members of the versatile, young core led the charge. Greg Monroe went for 28 points and 11 rebounds, Giannis Antetokounmpo had a triple-double and Jabari Parker scored 19.
It was a reminder that regardless of Milwaukee's record, it has the talent to beat any team on any given night. It was also a glimpse into the Bucks' future and a reminder of why so many were high on them this summer.
In July, CBS Sports' Matt Moore wrote, "The Bucks are building something, and it's young, athletic, versatile and smart." Later adding, "...there's something powerful and sustainable growing in Milwaukee, rising out of the weeds of small market irrelevance and into a team you're going to want to watch next season."
The sub-.500 start from coach Jason Kidd's Bucks shouldn't alter that narrative. Wins like the one over the Warriors and a double-overtime thriller over the Cleveland Cavaliers in November are indicative of their potential, and there's plenty of time to figure things out in 2016.
Versatility
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Thanks in part to the Golden State Warriors' success with their so-called "lineup of death," positionless basketball is en vogue in today's NBA. With five players on the floor who all have guard or wing skills, a team can switch every screen defensively and get out on the break faster by having multiple options for an outlet pass.
The Bucks have constructed a roster more than capable of playing positionless. They have a number of players who possess a combination of size and skill that's allowed them to play all over the floor over the course of their careers.
Antetokounmpo, Parker, Khris Middleton, Jerryd Bayless and Greivis Vasquez have all played at least 25 percent of their career minutes at at least two different positions, according to Basketball-Reference.com.
Antetokounmpo's potential for versatility is particularly intriguing. The Bucks haven't gone to it much in the first three years of his career, but his 6'11" frame makes him a viable option for occasional minutes at center. Fill in the other four slots with skill players, and Milwaukee suddenly has a taller version of Golden State's small-ball lineup.
Youth
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Milwaukee's early-season funk can be attributed to many things, with age perhaps being chief among them. The average age of a Bucks player is is 24.4. Only the Philadelphia 76ers are younger. And every team with an average age under 25 has a sub-.500 record.
So, why is this a reason to fear the deer? Well, it's a double-edged sword. Sure, the Bucks are experiencing some growing pains now, but they're still growing. Each member of Milwaukee's core is 25 or younger, still years away from their athletic primes.
| Greg Monroe | 25 | 44 | 30.3 | .517 | .749 | 9.8 | 2.3 | 1.0 | 0.9 | 1.7 | 16.0 | |
| John Henson | 25 | 41 | 16.7 | .595 | .537 | 3.9 | 0.9 | 0.3 | 1.9 | 1.2 | 6.9 | |
| Khris Middleton | 24 | 46 | 36.0 | .444 | .423 | .878 | 3.5 | 4.0 | 1.1 | 0.2 | 1.9 | 17.7 |
| Michael Carter-Williams | 24 | 41 | 30.8 | .452 | .343 | .659 | 5.0 | 5.6 | 1.6 | 0.7 | 2.9 | 11.9 |
| Giannis Antetokounmpo | 21 | 44 | 34.1 | .504 | .228 | .771 | 7.2 | 2.8 | 1.0 | 1.2 | 2.5 | 15.5 |
| Jabari Parker | 20 | 40 | 27.8 | .482 | .000 | .787 | 4.5 | 1.5 | 0.8 | 0.4 | 1.0 | 11.3 |
As newcomers Monroe (signed as a free agent) and Parker (missed most of last season with a torn ACL) become more comfortable with the defensive system that was largely responsible for Milwaukee's playoff berth last season, and the rest of the group develops over the coming months, the Bucks could start to make a push toward No. 8 in the Eastern Conference.
Superstar Potential
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A torn ACL may have stalled the on-court development of the 2014 draft's No. 2 overall pick, but it hasn't robbed him of his potential.
Speaking about the injury with Complex's Max Rappaport, Parker said, "It certainly makes me a lot more appreciative of what I have.” He added, “It’s going to give me just that extra boost moving forward in my career, because I’ve been through a lot. Now I’m just trying to leave that past behind me and have a fresh start."
That extra boost may be exactly what his team needs, too. Milwaukee has talent up and down the roster, but true contention comes from having some star power.
Parker and Antetokounmpo have the potential to bring that star power to the young Bucks. On November 19, against the Cleveland Cavaliers, the duo combined to score 47 of Milwaukee's 100 points, shooting 18-of-25 from the field.
Brew Hoop's Frank Madden called the game a glimpse into the future, writing, "Watching Giannis Antetokounmpo and Jabari Parker spread their wings on national TV might not have delivered a win, but— newsflash!—for now the latter is far less important than the former."
More opportunities for Parker and Antetokounmpo to spread their wings in 2016 will not only make the Bucks more dangerous in the present, it will accelerate the process of tapping that star potential for the future.
Size
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Sometimes, it's even more important to buck the trend than it is to follow it. With everyone around the league trying to go small or positionless, it's good to have a counter. And the Bucks have that with their size.
That's not to say they should abandon the idea of going positionless at times, but lineup variety will keep opponents on their toes. And the versatility of players like Middleton, Parker and Antetokounmpo makes variety accessible.
Antetokounmpo can play anywhere from shooting guard to center (and has even played some point guard in summer league games). Middleton can play 2 through 4. And Parker's shown an ability to play either forward spot. Plus, Milwaukee's top two point guards, Vasquez and Michael Carter-Williams are both 6'6".
Lineup combinations with Monroe at the 5 and everyone else playing positionless, more or less, aren't difficult to imagine.
They can even have Monroe and John Henson share the floor. That duo's only spent 27 minutes together this season, but it's an option against bigger frontcourts like the Utah Jazz or Memphis Grizzlies.
Teamwork
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Playing for a pass-first point guard like Kidd has clearly rubbed off on the Bucks. They're seventh in the NBA in team assist percentage (number of field goals that were assisted) and fifth in assist ratio (number of assists per 100 possessions).
All the passing has led to a very balanced attack for Milwaukee. Seven players average at least nine points. And six of those seven average at least two assists.
The Bucks have a roster built to compete on both ends. It just needs a little more time to grow. In 2016, we should start to see some of that growth.
Nights like December 12 against the Warriors, or November 19 against the Cavs, will become fixtures of the present, rather than glimpses of the future.
Statistics courtesy of Basketball-Reference.com and NBA.com unless otherwise noted.
Andy Bailey covers the NBA for Bleacher Report. Follow him @AndrewDBailey.
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