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The Milwaukee Bucks enter the 2025-26 NBA season with plenty of questions. The loss of Damian Lillard and the arrival of Myles Turner are the biggest stories to come out of the offseason, with Giannis Antetokounmpo also finding himself surrounded by trade rumors.
The decision to waive and stretch Dame's contract was expected to be followed by a flurry of moves. The Bucks need to surround Giannis with the right superstars, and that does not seem to be a possibility in the 2025-25 season.
Most predictions signal a step back from last year’s 48-win campaign. However, as long as the Greek Freak continues to be a Milwaukee player, they will remain in conversation in the East.
The Bucks open their campaign by welcoming the Washington Wizards on October 22, followed by trips to the Toronto Raptors and then the Cleveland Cavaliers. They will now return to face the New York Knicks, setting up a tantalizing run of fixtures that will be particularly revealing in case of the Bucks.
Giannis Antetokounmpo will lead the charge for the Bucks
Last season, the 30-year-old averaged 30.4 points, 11.9 rebounds, and 6.5 assists per game per Basketball Reference, finishing third in MVP voting. Over the past five years, he has consistently delivered 30-11-6 production, making him arguably the best player in the Eastern Conference.
Despite Milwaukee’s playoff struggles, Giannis remains the sole reason the Bucks are still seen as a .500 team. And there is room for optimism in how he can combine with Myles Turner, who may be brilliant but is still filling the shoes of veteran Brook Lopez.
On paper, Turner complements Antetokounmpo better than Lopez. His ability to space the floor with three-point shooting opens up lanes for Giannis. However, the problems lie in the backcourt.
Without Damian Lillard and Jrue Holiday, Kevin Porter Jr. and Cole Anthony are expected to be given bigger roles. The roster clearly lacks the firepower to compete and will need several young players to step up consistently over the season.
The Bucks have won just one playoff series in the last four years and do not look closer to winning more based on offseason activity. And while the possibility still remains of a late acquisition, options may already be too thin.
Keeping that in mind, only something bizarrely irregular will need to occur for the current roster to produce anything worthy in the postseason this time around. We predict them to finish around the 45-win mark, finishing as a .500 team for the tenth consecutive time, also with a lower win total than last season.
Of course, that does not mean there is no room for optimism. However, the Bucks will need the likes of Kyle Kuzma and Porter Jr. to deliver huge seasons. The arrival of Turner’s defensive engine means Giannis can fully embrace his forward role, and the possibilities remain interesting despite the absence of a high-calibre ball handler.
For how however, the Greek Freak is rightly focussed on the EuroBasket 2025, despite the fact that Giannis has not been able to participate in the preparation games thus far.
