Milwaukee Bucks: Projected 2014 Starting Lineup

Photo Credit: Jeff Hanisch – USA Today

MILWAUKEE- The Milwaukee Bucks have struggled in recent years, but just like many other teams, they are rebuilding. In the 2014 NBA Draft they selected the face of their franchise, Jabari Parker, with the second overall pick. They will build their team around him, assuming he lives up to expectations. They also have young guys like Brandon Knight and Giannis Antetokounmpo to help the rebuilding process. The Bucks aren’t a playoff team and they could possibly tank this season to get another high lottery pick in the next draft. Here is a look at the Milwaukee Bucks projected 2014 starting lineup:

Point Guard – Brandon Knight: Brandon Knight has had his share of ups and downs in his career, but last season he proved he can be a starting point guard. He was a very dominant scorer for the Bucks last season and produced when the team needed him. He doesn’t rack up a lot of assists for a point guard but that is mainly because he is not playing around great players. There wasn’t really anyone to pass to and when he had the ball in his hands, he decided to get open and take a shot. With Jabari Parker becoming the new star and the fast improving Giannis Antetokounmpo, Knight will need to pass more and shoot less. He will continue to improve and as he heads into just his fourth season, he will need to prove himself to keep the starting job.

Shooting Guard – Giannis Antetokounmpo: After OJ Mayo’s disappointing season last year, it appears the Bucks are going in a different direction. That new guy is Giannis Antetokounmpo. He is a freak athlete and even though his stats aren’t impressive, his potential is something GM’s drool over. He can do damage in this league and with his height and length at shooting guard, he will cause some serious matchup issues for other teams. Mayo didn’t prove himself and Antetokounmpo is jumping on the opportunity to become a starter. He is deadly on the fast break and will blow by you with just one long, quick step to the basket. He works hard and is willing to be one of the centerpieces of the rebuilding that is taking place in Milwaukee. He appears to be the favorite to start but you never know who the Bucks will start until tip-off opening night.

Small Forward – Jabari Parker: Jabari Parker is the face of the franchise now and he will be the main piece of the rebuilding process. He is gifted offensively with multiple moves from anywhere on the floor. He also has a high basketball IQ for a rookie and it appears that he has the leadership skills to put this NBA franchise on his back and help lead them back to the playoffs. He needs to learn how to strengthen his defense to become a star in the league. He will get plenty of minutes this year and will have to go through a lot of learning experiences to make himself a better player. He wants to play for Milwaukee and he is driven to show people why he should have been the first overall pick. Parker has potential and now all he has to do is live up to the high expectations.

Power Forward – Ersan Ilyasova: This a tough call on my end, but it may not be for others. Should the Bucks go with Ersan Ilyasova or John Henson? Ilyasova is experienced but is very inconsistent. Henson has stepped up when Ilyasova suffers injuries and puts up really solid numbers. So why do the Bucks always go back to Ilyasova? He puts up lower numbers than Henson, is less durable and can’t protect the rim as well. The Bucks must have some sort of pride thing with Ilyasova because just comparing stats, Henson should be the starter. It may be that the Bucks want more muscle in the starting lineup because Henson is lanky like many of the other starters on the Bucks. Muscle is important and Ilyasova has it. He also can shoot the three ball, which is a huge plus from a power forward. If Larry Sanders doesn’t fix his ways soon though, Henson and Ersan will be the front court for the Bucks. Let me know who you think should start.

Center – Larry Sanders: Larry Sanders is young and struggles to do smart things on the court at times. He has made many mistakes in his short career and hopefully he can fix them soon. If he does, he could be one of the best centers in the league and one of the best shot blockers. He just doesn’t have the same drive and push other players have, which led to some bad choices. His opportunity is slipping away. The Bucks are paying him too much to constantly make mistakes. He has potential but he isn’t even using the talents he has right now to the best of his abilities. He can be good and needs to be good so the Bucks can have a better and smoother rebuilding process.

The Bucks aren’t expected to make the playoffs and you could possibly see them tank this season also. They have talent but it’s too raw to take them anywhere far right now. In the future they could have a lineup full of stars like Parker and Antetokounmpo. Bucks fans can be excited but they also have to be patient.