The Milwaukee Bucks are forced to regroup after a crushing Game 5 defeat to the Indiana Pacers.
Their season ended in stunning fashion — first losing Damian Lillard to a torn Achilles in Game 4, then watching a patchwork lineup build a seven-point lead with just 38 seconds remaining in overtime, only to unravel in a collapse reminiscent of Doc Rivers’ most infamous moments.
An utterly baffling breakdown.
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Milwaukee was thoroughly outclassed throughout the series, despite a valiant, all-out effort from Giannis Antetokounmpo. The Bucks let down their two-time MVP repeatedly, even as he continued to give everything he had. If his supporting cast had stepped up when it mattered most, the series might be heading back to Milwaukee with some hope still alive.
With the season now over, speculation around a potential Giannis trade is set to skyrocket. However, the Bucks don’t control their own first-round pick until 2031, leaving the front office with little motivation to move a top-three player. Instead, they’ll do everything possible to keep Giannis content and committed to another run in Cream City — even if that means making some difficult roster decisions.
Here are three players Milwaukee should consider moving on from:
3. Taurean Prince is no longer a viable rotation wing
Prince started 73 of 80 games this season, a clear reflection of Milwaukee’s aging and inflexible roster. The trade for Damian Lillard severely limited the team’s options, leaving GM Jon Horst to patch holes with low-risk moves like chasing Kyle Kuzma and veteran minimum signings.
While Prince was a regular starter for the Lakers last year and shot an impressive 43.9% from deep in the regular season, he disappeared in the playoffs. His minutes dropped sharply after being removed from the starting five in Game 3 against Indiana, including two games with fewer than five minutes and three in which he didn’t score at all. Defensively, he was a liability, and his shooting dried up when it mattered.
Milwaukee desperately needs younger, more athletic wings. No matter how hard it may be to rebuild depth, bringing Prince back would be a step in the wrong direction.
2. It’s time to find a replacement for Brook Lopez
Brook Lopez has been a mainstay in Milwaukee, but the decline is undeniable. At 37, he simply can’t provide the two-way consistency that once made him a Defensive Player of the Year candidate and key contributor to the 2021 title run.
While he remained productive in the regular season — hitting 37.3% from three and averaging 1.9 blocks — he was played off the court in the Pacers series, failing to log more than 20 minutes in any game. Indiana’s pace and versatility exposed Lopez, forcing the Bucks to pivot to Bobby Portis Sr. in Game 5 for a more energetic starting lineup.
The defense may suffer with Portis in that role full-time, but Giannis can cover a lot of ground as a rim protector. If the Bucks can identify a younger, more mobile big — a tall order, given their limited assets — now is the time. Lopez should not be a starting center going into his age-38 season.
1. The Bucks must move on from Kyle Kuzma — and fast
The Kyle Kuzma trade has quickly soured for Milwaukee. Khris Middleton’s return to Washington helped the Wizards rack up a few late-season wins, but Kuzma, as many anticipated, proved to be a poor fit for playoff basketball.
On paper, the trade addressed a need: adding youth and athleticism. But Kuzma’s inconsistent effort, questionable decision-making, and defensive lapses quickly negated whatever scoring punch he was expected to bring. He simply didn’t meet the moment.
Kuzma’s Game 1 performance — a now-infamous 0-0-0-0-0 stat line — set the tone for a disastrous series. Things never really got better. Like Brook Lopez, he was benched for Game 5, a late adjustment that nearly worked, but ultimately fell short. Kuzma was supposed to be a wing upgrade; instead, he became a glaring liability. In hindsight, it was a poor use of the Bucks’ limited trade assets.
Kuzma still has two years left on his deal at just over $20 million annually, which makes moving him difficult — but not impossible. He was a sought-after trade piece as recently as last year. The Bucks need to explore all potential options to offload his contract. Odds are, there’s at least one front office out there willing to bite.
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