The Milwaukee Bucks have experienced plenty of changes from the roster they trotted out for the postseason. The most visible changes are mo more Nikola Mirotic (signed with Barcelona), no more Malcolm Brogdon (sign-and-trade with Indiana Pacers) — yet general manager Jon Horst won't say this 2019-20 version of the team that reached the Eastern Conference Finals is significantly worse than what they had on paper entering the playoffs.

“I would tell you pure analytics – kind of like the raw evaluation and the stuff that we look at – I think it’s close, maybe slightly worse,” said Horst, according to Eric Nehm of The Athletic. “But, for me, I think we’re going to have internal development and growth, so I think we’re going to be better than last year based on that. We’re going to have another year in Bud’s system, which you have to remember last year was Year 1, so we’ll have another year in his system.”

Horst noted the additions of Wesley Matthews and Robin Lopez are just as imperative to the team's success as the losses of a young Brogdon was.

“And I think we added two guys who fit in a big way,” said Horst. “I think Malcolm fit offensively and defensively at one position and did a great job, a fantastic player. I think Wes fits offensively at a high, high level and defensively, he’s really good. Robin fits defensively at a high, high level and offensively, he’s pretty good. In some ways, we were already the deepest team in the league in my opinion last year, and I think we might have become deeper. We still have four studs in the starting lineup and we have a fifth guy that fits great with them.
I think we could be better. I really do. … I think we’ve filled the gaps in a great way.

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Only time will tell if Horst is right or wrong, but Brogdon was coming off the best year of his career and a legendary 50-40-90 season. The Bucks brought in two veterans with double-digit years in experience that are likely past their prime, while Brogdon was just starting to scratch the surface of his untapped potential.

However, all of this will be judged in terms of more than wins and losses, but how far can Horst's moves take this Bucks team after falling two games shy of the NBA Finals.