“Giannis is still on the team right?” - Zach Lowe comes up with a comical response to question surrounding Milwaukee Bucks’ title contention status

The Milwaukee Bucks are going into the 2022-23 season with an almost identical roster. The only additions are their draft pick MarJon Beauchamp, and the free-agent signing of Joe Ingles – who is still rehabbing from an ACL injury. Additionally, Pat Connaughton and Khris Middleton will not be available to start the season.

The Greek leader

Leading up to the start of the new season, the NBA Today crew discussed if teams have done enough to gain or regain their contender status. Given the limited activity and a few injuries, concerns have been raised about how far the 2021 NBA champs can go. But, with Giannis Antetokounmpo at the helm, the Bucks cannot be written out.

“Giannis is still on the team right? Then yes they did,” Zach Lowe responded in an instant.

Antetokounmpo has been improving at an exceptional rate since he entered the league. Last season, he posted his best scoring average (29.9 PPG) and has averaged a double-double over the last five seasons. Apart from numbers, Giannis has deepened his bag of skills with every passing season. With a player like that, it’s safe to say that the Bucks are here to stay.

Skepticism around the Bucks’ depth

Injury trouble is the only concern for the Bucks right now, with Khris Middleton’s timeline recently being pushed to 3-4 weeks. The Bucks don’t necessarily have limited scoring options, but given how Middleton’s absence hurt them in the playoffs last year, there is some concern.

“Look, their depth trends a little old, that makes you nervous. And Joe Ingles is coming off an ACL, that makes you a little nervous,” Lowe said. “That’s the biggest reason for some Bucks skepticism.”

“As long as they have the big three, … As long as they got the big fella, and just enough depth to squeak by. They still have Connaughton, Bobby Portis, and Brook Lopez; I think they got enough,” he added.

The Bucks will have to work harder during the first phase of the season to close-out games and not put pressure on themselves. They also have a great pool of young talent who have found their own in the team’s system – over the summer league and preseason games.