Sky’s the limit for young Bucks guard, Doc Rivers says: 'Just the start of his story'

What Bucks have seen of Rollins could be only the tip of the iceberg

The contract Rollins signed this offseason gives him the benefit of security. After all, he has an injury history and showed his first signs of promise just last season. Earlier this week he revealed that shoulder issues bothered him throughout the year, leading to offseason surgery. The contract is fully guaranteed and includes a player option in year three. Basically, Rollins will make as much in 2025-26 as he has in his NBA career to date.

That said, it is a bargain for the Bucks. If Rollins develops as they think he can, he will be playing above his worth in year two if not immediately. A positive contributor by on-off rating on both ends of the floor, per 36 minutes Rollins averaged 15.3 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 4.6 assists on 48.7/40.8/80 percent shooting splits. Per Cleaning the Glass, his net rating amounts to a +5-win player in an 82-game sample size.

Toward the end of the schedule, his usage and production increased significantly. As part of the point guard rotation, he should only see his playmaking duties expand this season.

“I don’t think his story is written yet. He’s got a lot of story left,” Rivers said. “This is the first chapter, or second chapter. I think Ryan has four or five more chapters left to write.”

Not long after the Bucks re-signed Rollins, general manager Jon Horst also endorsed his potential by likening him to a George Hill prototype. If he continues to play tight defense, perhaps adds a bit of bulk, and grows as an offensive creator, Rollins should enjoy a productive career as a valuable role player or fourth/fifth starter. Based on the excitement within the organization, that doesn’t seem like hyperbole even with his very small sample of NBA playing time: 81 games, 19 starts, and under 1,000 minutes on the floor.

Continued Rivers,  “Signing a contract is great but this is not – he’s going to do way more. He’ll sign a bigger deal, he’ll do a lot of winning. So I think this is just the start of his story.”