Milwaukee Bucks Offseason Review: Point Guards

With Olympic basketball in the rearview mirror, we have a brief lull before the Milwaukee Bucks hit the hardwood again. It’s the perfect time to dissect the Bucks’ offseason moves, position by position.

Using Cleaning the Glass’s positional breakdowns—point guard, combo guard, wing, forward, and big—we’ll evaluate how Milwaukee’s roster is shaping up as we head into August. (Quick note: These categories don’t always align with traditional basketball positions. For instance, Patrick Beverley and A.J. Johnson are slotted as combo guards, so they won’t be part of this segment.)

Let’s kick things off by diving into the point guard position and see how it has transformed since last season’s finale.

Depth Chart at end of 2023-24 Season:

1. Damian Lillard
2. TyTy Washington Jr. (two-way)
3. Ryan Rollins (two-way)

Departures:

TyTy Washington Jr: Washington Jr. signed a two-way contract with the Bucks last August, but his time on the NBA court was limited. In 11 appearances, he logged an average of 5.1 minutes, contributing 1.3 points and 0.5 assists per game. Despite showing some flashes, Milwaukee opted not to bring him back. Instead, Washington Jr. found a new opportunity, inking another two-way deal with the Phoenix Suns on August 2nd.

New Additions:

None: Several players could be considered point guards but will fall under the combo guards for this exercise: AJ Johnson and Delon Wright.

Retained:

Damian Lillard: Lillard is set to shoulder the bulk of the point guard duties this season, but his first year in Milwaukee didn’t go as planned. Amidst a whirlwind of coaching changes, a rash of injuries, and the personal challenges of being away from his family, Lillard struggled to find his rhythm. Despite the setbacks, he’s made it clear that he’s determined to bounce back stronger than ever.

Ryan Rollins: When the Bucks brought Rollins on board with a two-way contract in February 2024, they locked him in for two years. This move ensures he’ll be with the Wisconsin Herd through the end of this season—barring any unexpected cuts, of course.

New Depth Chart:

1. Lillard
2. Rollins (two-way)

Overview:

The Bucks’ roster has an undeniable imbalance. While they boast a surplus of bigger wings and forwards, they’re glaringly thin at the point guard position—something that haunted them last year, particularly in the postseason. The Indiana Pacers exposed this vulnerability by applying relentless full-court pressure throughout their entire first-round series.

Lillard, the lone true point guard, logged 35.3 minutes per game last season—a workload virtually unheard of in the Mike Budenholzer era, but the lowest of Lillard’s career. With the current roster construction, it’s unlikely that number will drop, even though Milwaukee would ideally like to keep him fresh and healthy for the playoffs.

Rather than securing a traditional backup, the Bucks seem poised to replace Lillard by committee when he needs a breather. Expect Wright, Khris Middleton, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and possibly even Andre Jackson Jr. to handle playmaking duties in his absence. The front office appears confident that this collective approach can effectively supplement Lillard’s ball-handling and playmaking responsibilities.