The Milwaukee Bucks made a franchise-altering move this offseason, sending former MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo to the Miami Heat in exchange for Tyler Herro, Kel'el Ware, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Kasparas Jakucionis, and multiple draft picks.

Milwaukee is coming off a draft in which they picked in the lottery for the first time in 10 years, holding the 10th and 13th overall picks and selecting guard Brayden Burries out of Arizona and forward Nate Ament out of Tennessee. 

The Bucks have fully immersed themselves in a rebuilding phase as they look to find Giannis' replacement as the top player of the franchise. They have a plethora of assets now, and their starting five is going to have a new look in 2026. 

While the Bucks are clearly going younger as a team, they have a projected lineup that could make them competitive if they stay healthy. The guard spots will likely feature Ryan Rollins at point guard and Tyler Herro at shooting guard. 

Rollins is coming off a career year, averaging just over 17 points per game, 4.6 rebounds, and 5.6 assists in 2025-2026. At 24 years old, he saw the most playing time of his career, seeing 32.1 minutes per game. 

Herro, on the other hand, is a player who has dealt with multiple injuries in the past, and last season, he only played in 33 games and started in 28 of them. He's a player who is capable of averaging 20 or more points per game, but if the Bucks want to see some sort of success, he is going to need to be out there consistently. 

At small forward, it will likely be Jaime Jaquez Jr. taking that role. Jaquez averaged just over 15 points per game and is the most experienced small forward on the roster.

He's also a player who is coming off a career year, and as someone who primarily came off the bench in South Beach, he could become a better player after seeing more playing time as a starter with the Bucks. 

The power forward and center spots will also feature a Heat newcomer as well as a veteran center. Kel'el Ware is a player who has shown flashes of being an elite big man in the future and will likely have a bigger role with the Bucks. He's going into his third season, and there's a chance he could have his best one yet in 2026-2027. 

Myles Turner will start at center in his 12th season in the league, and after a down year in 2025-2026, he could redeem himself if Milwaukee chooses to make him more of a focal point next season. 

The Bucks have a projected lineup that could win them anywhere from 40-45 games, and their youth could propel them to having a better season than most expect.