The Milwaukee Bucks are going into the 2026-2027 season with almost an entirely new look to the team. After trading away Giannis Antetokounmpo to the Miami Heat, the assets they got in return may help them become a surprise team in the East. 

Milwaukee has a mix of veterans as well as young pieces that could make this an entertaining team to watch, and it could speed up the process of the rebuild. 

When looking at this Bucks roster, there are three players who have been overlooked that could provide a lift for Milwaukee and take them farther than most anticipate this next season. 

Kel'el Ware is a player who has one of the highest ceilings of any young big man in today's NBA. Ware has shown he can be an athletic power forward who has control over the interior, but he also shown he's an improving three-point shooter. 

Ware comes into this situation with the Bucks as a player who can have a legitimate breakout season. Last season, Ware made noticeable improvements in his play style and looked more polished from his rookie season.  

In 2025-2026, he averaged a near double-double with the Heat, and what stands out is his athleticism around the rim. If Kel'el Ware emerges as a premier forward for the Bucks next season, it gives Milwaukee a leg up as they can start to get their front court solidified for the future. 

Jaime Jaquez Jr. is quietly coming off his best season since he's been in the NBA. At 25, he's coming off a season in which he scored over 15 points per game, and now he joins the Bucks playing in a bigger role. 

As of right now, the projected small forward in Milwaukee is Jaquez, and if he can build on the progression he made last season, it makes raises the Bucks ceiling as a team on the offensive side of the ball. 

If he can mesh well with the rest of the rotation at an early point in the season, the Bucks could see Jaquez take on more of the offensive workload than they expected. 

While his contract may have been questionable, the discourse surrounding guard Gary Trent Jr. has made him an underrated part of this Bucks team. Trent has spent the last two seasons in Milwaukee and has proven he can be a reliable two-way piece, despite coming off a down year. 

Trent has had big games with the Bucks, especially in the playoffs, that makes this front office want to keep him around because he too is a player that can raise the ceiling of this team when he plays well. 

If Trent can continue to be a knockdown shooter and provide solid perimeter defense, he can surprise people with his level of production.