Milwaukee Bucks
2015: 41-41
Predicted 2015-16: 47-35
The story of the Milwaukee Bucks was how well Jason Kidd took control of a young roster and helped carve it into a defensive powerhouse.
It helped that Kidd was gifted with one of the best young frontcourts in basketball, and most are now considering utility jack-of-all trades forward Giannis Antetokounmpo to be the best player from the 2013 draft. John Henson, Greg Monroe and 2014 No. 2 overall pick Jabari Parker fill out that frontcourt, if Antetokounmpo is not starting even at shooting guard.
Parker is a legitimate franchise talent and every bit as good as the Rookie of the Year winner Andrew Wiggins. Parker is a stronger forward with a real knack for scoring, and compares favorably to Jamal Mashburn who had a standout career as a back to the basket small forward.
Parker can certainly face up, but he might end up being best at bullying in a lot like Carmelo Anthony. He is not a supreme athlete like Wiggins, but he is a better all around player and the Bucks should be able to improve on last year’s progress.
Barring that, the Bucks have a hot-shooting Khris Middleton and Michael Carter Williams to create with the basketball.
It really is a pretty exciting group of players and can be as great as Parker wills it to be. Carter-Williams put up numbers in Philadelphia, but now he has his chance for meaningful minutes and contributions on a legitimately good team. He is an exceptional talent and will be taught by a big guard in Jason Kidd. Kidd should be able to impart his ways to Carter-Williams to get the most out of him.
The Bucks are a unique team with a lot of long bodies and guys capable of disrupting passing lanes. Kidd will continue to inculcate his wisdom into his players’ minds, and all indications are that he does it pretty well given how the Bucks responded last season.
Not many were expecting a .500 season from the men in green, but Milwaukee is now ready to content for home court advantage in the first round. Then, true contention.
Next: Big losses