Projecting Milwaukee Bucks’ 2024-25 Rotation Following Free Agency

Barring an unexpected trade, the Milwaukee Bucks have filled out their 15-man roster for the 2024-25 season. This gives head coach Doc Rivers the green light to start mapping out his rotation now that free agency has wrapped up.

It was a quiet offseason for Milwaukee, but they managed to acquire three solid veterans on minimum deals who can contribute right away. They balanced that with the infusion of youthful energy, selecting two 19-year-olds in the draft.

Gone are Malik Beasley, Danilo Gallinari, Jae Crowder, Thanasis Antetokounmpo, and Patrick Beverley. In their place are first-round pick AJ Johnson and second-rounder Tyler Smith, along with free-agent signings Delon Wright, Taurean Prince, and Gary Trent Jr.

After taking a peek at their revamped depth chart, let’s dive deeper and predict how the minutes distribution might shake out for the Bucks’ rotation in the 2024-25 NBA season.

Point Guards

Damian Lillard (Starter): 33

The only true point guard on the roster, Damian Lillard, might once again be tasked with logging heavy minutes. He averaged 35.3 minutes per game last season, but Milwaukee might want to dial that back a bit to keep him fresh for a deep postseason run. Rookie AJ Johnson likely won’t be ready to contribute significant minutes yet, but Delon Wright (listed in the next category) can handle some of the point guard duties when Lillard heads to the bench.

Combo Guards

Gary Trent Jr. (Starter): 26

Delon Wright: 20

Gary Trent Jr. isn’t the perfect fit in the backcourt alongside Lillard, but he was the best combo guard available in free agency. He’ll provide elite spacing for Giannis Antetokounmpo and company, offering a slight defensive upgrade from Beasley.

Delon Wright, the Bucks’ best perimeter defender, will be the perfect complement to Lillard and Trent. He can step in for either of them or play alongside them. Meanwhile, rookie AJ Johnson will likely be buried on the bench, focusing on improving his game during his first season.

Wings

Khris Middleton (Starter): 28

AJ Green: 11

Andre Jackson Jr.: 11

Milwaukee would love to keep Khris Middleton’s minutes low, but that will largely depend on the performance of AJ Green and Andre Jackson Jr.

Green is one of the best shooters on the Bucks’ roster and works hard on defense, even if he is physically limited. Ideally, his minutes per game would creep toward 15, but that would come at the expense of someone else in the rotation. Jackson Jr. is the opposite type of player from Green, bringing more athleticism and defensive versatility. Rivers could alternate between these two in the rotation based on nightly matchups.

Forwards

Giannis Antetokounmpo (Starter): 33

Taurean Prince: 23

Antetokounmpo logged 35.2 minutes per game last season, his highest since 2017-18. Ideally, the Bucks would love to reduce that number to around 30 to keep him fresh, but that may not be feasible if they want to stay competitive in the Eastern Conference.

Rivers will have options when Giannis goes to the bench. Bobby Portis will see minutes at the four, and Taurean Prince can also slot in there. Prince will get some run on the wing depending on the lineup Rivers wants to deploy.

Bigs

Brook Lopez (Starter): 30

Bobby Portis: 25

Brook Lopez has been a model of durability throughout his career, but at 36 years old, Milwaukee needs to handle his minutes with caution. They could lighten his load by playing Antetokounmpo at the five, although both Giannis and the Bucks have been hesitant to fully embrace that shift. Balancing Lopez’s minutes while keeping him fresh for the postseason will be key to maintaining their defensive anchor’s effectiveness.