Milwaukee Bucks offseason recap: point guards

With Olympic basketball in the rearview mirror, we have a brief pause before the Milwaukee Bucks return to the court. It’s the perfect time to analyze the Bucks’ preseason moves, position by position.

Using Cleaning the Glass’ positional breakdowns (point guard, combo guard, small forward, power forward, and center), we’ll evaluate how Milwaukee’s roster shapes up heading into August. (Quick note: These categories don’t always align with traditional basketball positions. For example, Patrick Beverley and AJ Johnson are classified as combo guards, so they won’t be part of this segment.)

Let’s start by looking at the point guard position and see how it has transformed since last season’s finale.

Depth chart at the end of the 2023-24 season:

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

Departures:

Ty Ty 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, signing another two-way deal with the Phoenix Suns on August 2.

New additions:

None: Several players could be considered point guards, but for this exercise they will fall into the combo guard category: AJ Johnson and Delon Wright.

Detained:

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

Ryan Rollins: When the Bucks signed Rollins to a two-way contract in February 2024, they committed him to a two-year deal. This move guarantees he will 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 is undeniably unbalanced. While they have a surplus of bigger forwards and forwards, they are distinctly weak at the point guard position, something that plagued them last year, particularly in the postseason. The Indiana Pacers exposed this vulnerability by applying relentless full-court pressure throughout their first-round series.

Lillard, the team’s only true point guard, played 35.3 minutes per game last season, a workload that was virtually unheard of in the Mike Budenholzer era but the lowest of Lillard’s career. Given the current roster structure, that number is unlikely to drop, though Milwaukee would ideally like to keep him fresh and healthy for the playoffs.

Rather than hiring a traditional backup, the Bucks appear willing to replace Lillard by committee when he needs a breather. Wright, Khris Middleton, Giannis Antetokounmpo and possibly even Andre Jackson Jr. are expected to handle playmaking duties in his absence. Management seems confident that this collective approach can effectively complement Lillard’s ball-handling and playmaking responsibilities.