Orlando Magic must seek a plan and stick with it to right the ship
By Bill Johnson
Being Ahead of the Trend: Milwaukee Bucks
The Milwaukee Bucks used their rebuild to make a team of the future. Long before there was talk of unicorns in the NBA, the Bucks had already focused their efforts on acquiring freakish length at every position.
It started with John Henson in 2012. Then in 2013 they drafted a relative unknown in Giannis Antetokounmpo with the 15th pick. He was unknown, but he had outstanding measurables. It was thought he was a project, but he immediately showed he belonged on a NBA court.
The franchise had a good season where they made the playoffs in 2015. At that time, point guard Brandon Knight led the team. The Bucks moved him the following year and began searching for a point guard.
The thing was, they had one already on the roster. Albeit an unconventional one.
Even though Antetokounmpo was not the star of the team yet, the franchise identified his a building block and only wanted players who fit with him.
Milwaukee Bucks
The organization tinkered, but they stayed true to the original plan. The Bucks had identified who they wanted to build around. They nurtured those players even though it did not always translate to wins.
The Bucks are still accumulating length at every position.
They acquired Tony Snell in the trade for Michael Carter-Williams. Snell is a 6-foot-7 shooting guard with close to a 7-foot wingspan. In the 2016 Draft, they took Thon Maker, a 7-foot center with 3-point potential. In the second round, they got Malcolm Brogdon, a big 6-foot-5 point guard. Brogdon is already showing promise as he is one of the leading candidates for this year’s Rookie of the Year.
The growing importance of the 3-point shot has slowed the team’s ascension because right now they do not have shooters outside Khris Middleton. But it is doubtful they will mortgage any part of their bright future to plug a hole.