Assessing the outsider views of the Milwaukee Bucks

Many outlets have already posted some sort of power ranking for next year and the Bucks got the short end of the stick.

CBS Sports: Ranked the Bucks at No. 30 in the NBA and Brad Botkin wrote: "We'll see if Milwaukee keeps Tyler Herro. Again, the lottery reform changes everything. Nobody wants to bottom out. They just want to be a regular bad team. With names like Jaime Jacquez Jr., Turner, Herro, rookies Nate Ament and Brayden Burries (their big offseason scores, but obviously not to make a huge difference this year), Kasparas Jakucionis, Caris LeVert and Kyle Kuzma, Milwaukee can only hope to be a regular bad team."

ESPN.com: Ranked the Bucks at No. 29 in the NBA and they wrote: "Milwaukee has a deep rotation after gaining four players from Miami in the return to add to the mix of Myles Turner, Ryan Rollins, AJ Green and Kevin Porter Jr. -- another reason the Gary Trent Jr. signing baffled many around the league -- plus a pair of rookie lottery picks they hope will benefit from playing alongside so many veterans. The Bucks are rebuilding, but they don't own their own draft pick next season and will try to be competitive.

NBA.com: Ranked the Bucks at No. 15 in the Eastern Conference and John Schuhmann wrote: "The post-Antetokounmpo era in Milwaukee will probably get off to a rough start, but the seeds of future success have been planted.

Yahoo Sports: Ranked the Bucks at No. 15 in the Eastern Conference and Robbie Bettelon wrote: "The post-Giannis era has begun in Milwaukee. Tyler Herro might average 30 PPG, but this team is terrible.Ryan Rollins is fun, and I'll continue to dream about Myles Turner if Detroit actually moves on from Duren, but any team with Kyle Kuzma in the lineup is going to lose games. Remember, Kuzma: "don't be that team!"

Bleacher Report: Ranked the Bucks at No. 29 in the NBA and Andy Bailey wrote: "After finally trading Giannis Antetokounmpo, the Milwaukee Bucks seem like a near-shoo-in for the 2027 lottery. Yes, Tyler Herro, Jaime Jaquez Jr. and Kel'el Ware could make them a bit more competitive than expected in the short term, but with fewer teams openly tanking, it's hard to see this roster outperforming many others in the East. So this season (and maybe the next couple after it), will be as much about the development of incoming rookies Brayden Burries and Nate Ament and new coach Taylor Jenkins as it is about anything else."

ClutchPoints: Ranked the Bucks at No. 30 and Brett Siegel wrote: "The post-Giannis era will begin at the bottom of the NBA power rankings for the Milwaukee Bucks. Brayden Burries has a ton of potential to become the new face of the Bucks, but he joins an incredibly crowded backcourt and will be fighting for minutes with all of the new guards Milwaukee added.Without control of their own 2027 draft pick, the Bucks have no choice but to try and be competitive. Maybe that can happen with all of their depth, but this team looks like a mess on paper right now, especially with Gary Trent Jr.'s new contract and Damian Lillard's dead cap hit on the books."

I understand the thought process behind the ranking by each outlet. Antetokounmpo is not on the team anymore and although he battled injuries, the team went 32-50, including 17-19 with him on the floor. If they Bucks weren't able to do anything with him, then it makes sense they will struggle immensely without him. Even though they acquired new players, no one can truly replace the production and the impact of a two-time MVP.

However, although they lost Antetokounmpo, the Bucks added more depth and talent to the roster with Herro, Ware, Jaquez Jr., Jakučionis, Burries and Ament. On top of the addition of players, they hired Taylor Jenkins as their head coach, whose had success in Memphis for the Grizzlies and proven that he can develop young players.

Herro averaged 20 points in the last five seasons and will get the keys to the car, Jaquez Jr. is fresh off averaging 15.4 points per game and finished second in Sixth Man of the Year voting and Ware almost averaged a double-double and is someone who can stretch the floor and block shots on defense.

You also have Rollins who is hoping to build off a career year and take another leap forward, as well young pieces like Burries and Ament who showed a lot of promise during summer league. Jakučionis is expected to have bigger role in Milwaukee and will a get chance to make an impact on a young team.

I'm not saying the Bucks will be the best team or even a playoff team, but to have them ranked as low as No. 29, No. 30 or last in the Eastern Conference, I think is too low with the proven talent and production that is on the roster.