Apr 10, 2025; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Bucks guard Gary Trent Jr. (5) celebrates with forward Bobby Portis (9) in the second quarter against the New Orleans Pelicans at Fiserv Forum. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-Imagn Images Benny Sieu-Imagn Images

Bucks News: Insider Gets Brutally Honest on Milwaukee’s Roster Issue

Originally posted on Milwaukee Bucks on SI
By Alex Kirschenbaum | Last updated Sep 1, 2025 12:00 PM ET

An expert has gotten candid about the capped upside of the Milwaukee Bucks' 2025-26 roster.

Milwaukee has had a strange summer. The Bucks opted to stretch and waive the remaining $112.6 million owed to former nine-time All-Star point guard Damian Lillard, extending its obligation to him from the next two seasons to the next five.

Lillard, 35, tore his Achilles tendon during the first round of the playoffs — marking the second straight year the Bucks guard has missed playoff games for the team.

The Weber State product was already clearly breaking down during his last seasons with the Portland Trail Blazers, but his value to Milwaukee this summer — had he been healthy — was likely more about a possible trade return than Lillard's long-term fit.

It's become pretty clear that Lillard and nine-time All-NBA Bucks power forward Giannis Antetokounmpo don't quite mesh on the hardwood. Many expected the semi-dynamic duo to flash the most dominant pick-and-roll in the league.

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The Bucks decided that, rather than wait around for Lillard to recuperate and rehab his trade value in 2026-27, they didn't want to waste another year of the soon-to-be-31-year-old Antetokounmpo's prime.

As part of a new, tiered ranking of the Eastern Conference's playoff hopefuls, Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated explains why the Bucks were a bit of a question mark.

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Ultimately, the biggest problem can be boiled down to one core issue, contends Mannix: the backcourt.

"The real problem is in the backcourt. Kevin Porter Jr. has breathed life back into his career, but he’s not a starter. Neither is [Cole] Anthony, who was a solid contributor for five years in Orlando," Mannix notes. "Gary Trent Jr., AJ Green, Taurean Prince and [Gary] Harris are solid but Milwaukee will begin the season with the worst backcourt of any would-be contender. And worse than some others."

Anthony and Harris are the two new additions Mannix singles out. It's clear the Bucks are also hoping for some internal development out of Porter, Trent and Green.

Can any of these players truly emerge as a Damian Lillard-esque talent? Absolutely not, but perhaps Milwaukee can replace him piecemeal. Otherwise, the Bucks could be stuck wallowing in the same kind of rudderlass, 45-win pace they've been familiar with for years.