Kevin O’Connor on Bucks’ best lineups, Myles Turner fit & breakout candidates (Hear District Ep. 74)

Kevin O’Connor on Bucks’ best lineups, Myles Turner fit & breakout candidates (Hear District Ep. 74)

I’m excited for the Bucks, man. Everybody talks in the Eastern Conference about, you know, the Knicks and the Cavs, and the Bucks, meanwhile, still have one of the two, three best players in the world, and the East is wide open, and and things could be reshaped. And so, I I just can’t wait to see the way it all kind of plays out. Five time Marcus Johnson alongside Marcus Johnson. What’s up, everybody? Hey, this is the here district, captain of this vessel, and I got my first mate, my number one son, Christian Johnson. What up? Talk to me. Holla. Let it rain, man. Let it rain. I guess I go. Guess what? We’re going back. Yeah. Can’t pass all the break. Go fight. Welcome everybody to the here district Marcus Johnson. You’re listening to a Bucks Plus audio production on the Bucks Plus Network. Your weekly pulse on the Milwaukee Bucks straight from a Bucks legend. This is Here District with Marcus Johnson alongside his son and 1995 NCAA champion Chris. Here’s MJ. All right, welcome everybody. Here District. I am the captain of this vessel, Marcus Johnson, here on this fantastic voice, joined by my first mate, Chris Johnson, the only father and son tandem in the history of college basketball. Kevin, to win a national championship at the same school. That’s the one caveat and we are so uh honored to have uh heavy hitter Kevin O’Connor. Man, we thank you Kevin. Kevin’s from Brockton, Massachusetts, a suburb. So that’s that Boston thing. Probably that that Larry Bird jockage. That Larry Bird jockage. That Larry Bird jockage going on, man. But but but it’s all it’s all good, man. Kevin, welcome to here in district, man. What you what you up to, man? How you living? Uh, I’m I’m doing good, man. I’m just uh enjoying end of July here and looking forward to I mean, free agency is still going, so we still got some good free agents out there right now. So, I’m enjoying a little bit of downtime, but also prepping with draft stuff already for next year. So, uh, enjoying the summer, enjoying some time with friends. Went to a wedding last weekend, so things are good. Life is good. Yeah. Who could you rattle off a few of the free agents that are still unsigned as of this point? I mean, Jonathan Kaminga is the one making all the noise this week. Um, and you know, Josh Giddy still out there, Cam Thomas, you know, Quentyn Grimes, all the restricted guys. And then Russell Westbrook, a legend still out there as well. So, you know, there’s still some stuff to be figured out this offseason. Restricted free agency. Is it all that it’s cracked up to be? It just I don’t know with with the guys you say that are still available, that’s a lot of talent. I’m I’m surp you surprised that an offer sheet has not been tendered up to this point to some of these guys. I mean, part of it is just the fact that like there just wasn’t a lot of money out there this year. And I think the team that had a lot of the money, the Brooklyn Nets, they don’t want Jonathan Kaminga. They don’t seem to have much interest in any of these other guys. And so, part of it’s the market. Part of it, I think, is just the fact that these guys, you know, with the new CBA, it’s just bad timing. So, I I think it’s a number of factors for for these guys. And next year will be a little bit different with more money out there, more cap space. So, I’m not overreacting. But, it is strange. like we’re entering August and the top restricted guys are still out there and they’re probably going to get squeezed and not get a lot of money out there. So, it’ll be interesting to see how this actually plays out, especially with Kaminga being involved in so many trade talks. Yeah. And what do you say to like the fact that despite these type of restrictions and restraints or whatever this summer, the Bucks were able to sign up five or six solid guys, rotation pieces. I I would say in my opinion, you may disagree with me, for around 22 million, 23 million, like at a serious number, like what do you say about the job John Horse did over the summer? I mean, I think he did a good job considering the circumstances. I don’t think he really could have done any better. Uh like you have Damen Lillard, you enter the off seasonason, you have Dame out for all of next year with a torn Achilles and you manage to take the risk in getting rid of him in the way that you did and you change the whole complexion of the entire roster, replacing Brook Lopez with Miles Turner, adding multiple shooters, bringing back Porter, Prince, the guys that you did. So, I feel like for the Bucks on paper, you you feel like in this wide openen Eastern Conference that there’s at least something interesting here with how they’re going to build this team around Giannis. So, I think Horse ultimately like he did the best that he could considering the circumstances. Even though there it’s not like they got Kevin Durant or any of these big names that changed teams this offseason, I think Horus did excellent considering the circumstances. Man, one guy that you were really huge on a couple of seasons ago, I’m just wondering where you stand on him now that the Bucks are able to sign, Cole Anthony. you talked about him and just just uh his personality and his approach to the game and his his I was watching uh I think you did you did a pod on him or something but but some of the interviews and uh you know just the colorful conversation and then the confidence the confidence of this man this kid has what is he 25 this young man has swagger coming out the out the kazoo man what what’s your take on Cole currently I mean I think with Cole like you know all that stuff is true like the offc court stuff, the energy and all that. And on the court that manifests for him as a spark plug, you know, he’s up and down, you know, like he’ll have games where he scores 20 and he’s highly efficient. He’ll have games where he’s 0 for8 and he’s super inefficient. You’re wishing he would look lean into more of being a playmaker. So, I think for the Bucks, you know, when you remove Damen Lo from the equation, you still would like to have a smaller guard who can provide a spark in the back court. And so I think for the Bucks, getting Cole Anthony gives them at least a guy they can turn to in certain situations. Now, do you want Cole Anthony to be a key figure on your team? No, you do not want Cole Anthony to be that considering his limitations as a efficient scorer, as a defender, as a smaller guard. And that’s why I think for Orlando over the years, as the Magic got better, his role lessened. Like he went from like a 25 30 minute per game player to a guy playing under 20 last season for Orlando. So, I think for him, like he’s probably, you know, maybe last on the list of guys that I think about when I think about what the Bucks did this off season, including bringing the guys back, but still having those spark plug guards can be important and win you a game or two here. Well, Kevin, the last shall be first. The last should be first. The first should be last. I mean, and Chris and I talked about this. Chris, I let you jump in right right after this. You talked about his defense and and and we were talking about this when we first acquired him. I looked up his numbers when he played with uh Van Carol and uh the big boy from Michigan with the brother Vagner. Vagner France Vagner when they when he played with two bigs. Yeah. His defensive numbers were actually pretty solid, you know, and I say that because of the Bucks and Miles Turner. Giannis, you know, I he’s interesting. He his energy I I I’m taking a wait andsee approach just because watching the videos that I’ve been watching on him, there’s something there. I don’t know what it is. There’s something there, but we we’ll see how he how he plays. Go ahead, Chris. What do you say to like the fact that he’s the most experienced PG on the roster in terms of time and experience in the NBA? And I and I know, look, I’m not trying to be Mr. I’m defending Cole Anthony, but I see value in him. specifically what MJ just led uh alluded to with his defensive presence and schemes with two bigs having a responsibility to have to funnel and shade guys and just lessen the hey I got to pick you up full be oneonone on ISOs all day like I feel like he’s going to be a different player on that on that side of the ball KO like what do you say to that I mean I think there’s some truth in that I mean it’s not like he’s just a smaller guard and smaller guards are always just going to have their issues where they get picked on but considering the the circumstances like you’re talking about environment where you have Turner at seven feet and you have Giannis as being one of the best defenders in basketball with length at the wing position whether it’s Koosma out there or Prince or whether it’s Andre Jackson if he’s carving out a role like like whoever it is at the like the two and three spot like there’s length right so I think with Cole Anthony that’s where certain lineups maybe he adds some value but ultimately like I mean like you said he’s the most experienced point guard on a roster and you know obviously Kevin Porter will get some touches as well doing that but ultimately I look at this team and I’m like I want point Giannis that’s what I want from this team like I think it should be point Giannis for this for this group well well Kevin and to and to that point Giannis point excuse the little play on words but but but to that point so I was looking up some some turnover percentage numbers and it just really surprised me like Torian Prince for example and I’ll just start with him but he’s like an 11 percentile 14.1 Cal Kosma turns it over. He’s in the eighth percentile. Ryan Rollins just in the 27th percentile. Almost 15, you know, turns it over 15 times when he has the ball in his possession. KPJ, he’s got a a turnover percentage in the 24th percentile. A guy I love, Booya, even though he hadn’t had a lot of minutes, he’s uh what almost 28% turnover percentage. Giannis actually Giannis, you know, just under 11% as a turnover percentage, 72nd percentile. So, I mean, for those out there like former teammate of my Lloyd Walton, talked about Giannis’s ability to to handle the ball and the pressure, he turns it over too much. The numbers don’t actually reflect that. I mean, he’s had a he had a better turnover percentage than Dame. Dames was in a higher percentile because he’s a guard, you know, and he handles the ball in those situations more. But right, I mean, Giannis is not not as as as um as turnoverrone as I as I expected, especially in the context of some of these other candidates for point guard for the Bucks this season. Well, I mean, I think that’s where he’s gotten better over the years, too. I mean, like like midway through his career, you saw the improvement and him like being able to handle when teams are building a wall in transition and him being able to find shooters in transition. you you see as he gets older like at this point just because he’s 30 and he’ll be 31 next season it doesn’t mean that he is done getting better like there’s still going to be more layers that Giannis adds to his game and that layers he he may have to add because like athleticism will dwindle at some point and will slowly decline or suddenly decline in some guys situations. And so for Giannis, like adding playmaking over the course of his career, like last year, he had the best mid-range shooting season of his career as well. Adding these layers to his game are are vital. And so I think with Giannis, like he did have one of the the better passing seasons of his entire career. It just so happened that he’s sharing the floor with De Lord a lot of the time, who’s absorbing a lot of the touches. But I do think like that last month of the season, what was like seven, eight straight games. Not it’s not like it was a large sample size, but he had I think like 10 plus assists in every single game that he was the centerpiece of the offense, averaged like Jokic type of stats. I I don’t the thing like I think with Giannis I think he’s capable of doing that because he’s shown he can do it. But LA, like when I interviewed Drew Hanlin, the guy who’s been training with Giannis, helping improve his mid-range jumper and all that, Drew Hanland said to me one of the reasons why Giannis reached out to him was because he felt like having a jumper would help him conserve energy and be healthy entering the postseason. Now, like using that same logic, would Giannis not want to have the like the full plate, the full demands of the offense over the course of the season, right? like being being like this, you know, you know, 10 plus assist guy. Like that’s my only question when like I I like I you know play devil’s advocate with myself about point Giannis. Sure. Like maybe he wants to share the load over the course of the year. The Bucks were 16 and three last year when Giannis had eight or more assists. Wow. I’m curious, Kevin, about I mean 2022 you’re you were pretty much on the Giannis train as the best in the world, correct? Yep. Yep. What what has changed? What changed to where Jokic over took Giannis as the best in the world? I mean, I think it’s in part the the postseason success since then. I mean, to me, I remember at the time when I was still on the Giannis’ best in the world train, I had said, “Well, I’m not going to change who’s best in the world until, you know, we see this happen during the postseason.” Yeah. And and then, you know, Joic wins a title and, you know, Joic wins MVPs since then and he’s had great playoff success as well. for is unfortunately whether it’s due to injury uh well largely it is due to injury basically every year ever since the Bucks did win the championship is the team just has not exactly you know had much playoff success and so I think that’s that’s part of it for Giannis unfortunately with with the situation that they’ve been in ever since they won the championship. So I still think I still think Giannis could take back that that you know belt of being the best in the world from Joic. I wouldn’t rule that out. I still think he’s second or third best in the entire NBA. The only guy you could argue currently would be better is SGA. Um maybe Luca next season depending on what he does coming back in shape, but like Giannis on any night could still be the best in the world. And ultimately, I think the roster that they that they put around him, it doesn’t necessarily have like the big marquee names next to him, but I still feel like depending on what Doc Rivers does with this offense and what type of role Giannis is actually wants to have, there’s certainly a chance we could see like the best version of Giannis and Dumpo this season, considering the improvements he’s made as a mid-range shooter, considering what he can become and has become as a playmaker as well. What do you like about M the fit next to Miles Turner? How both Miles Turner and Giannis will fit? What do you like about it? I mean, ultimately, I just think like having front court flexibility is so important. And obviously with Brook Lopez, they did have that, but uh but like he’s aged. He’s not quite the same player that he was before. Turner defensively is not the player that Lopez was in his prime. He is not that type of defensive player who’s going to be an alldefensive guy. Turner is not that. But he’s a good defender. Offensively is where things are a bit different. He is a good shooter. He’s a connective piece. I think he keeps that offense moving fluidly if they want to play with pace. And again, like this is where like we can talk all these hypotheticals. It depends on what Doc Rivers does. Like like we’ll see what type of offense Doc Rivers installs, what type of offense Giannis Embrace is playing. But in theory, we saw Turner play on one of the fastest paced teams we’ve seen in recent years with the Indiana Pacers. We know we can play with pace. We know we can play with uptempo offense. And I think that’s where I imagine things around Giannis. I’m like, “Okay.” Like, I look at these pieces with shooters, AJ Green, you get Gary Trent back, you have Andre Jackson, who’s not a shooter, but he can play up and down, can play fast, can play positionless basketball. Yeah. He’s an active guy. And I think a lot of the names on the on this roster. Like, that’s the style of play that I envision and I hope they play this season. And and Turner makes way more sense for that than Brook Lopez did. And if Giannis embraces playing the five sometimes more often, like they have like the number of like beefy bodies, you know, Kyle Kosma adding him at the before the deadline last year where he could do that with more minutes than he has in the past. And Chris, I want to get your your input on this too, but but is this is this a trend that we’re we’re seeing? Uh a trend that’s here to stay in terms of the two big lineups. They were highly successful uh several 50 plus win teams. My list is here. Miles and Pascal, Shenon and Steven Adams, they had a 30 plus net rating in the regular season. Cadet and Hartstein down in OKC Moy Allen, Carl Anthony Towns, Mitchell Robinson had a plus nine rating. I mean, is this something? Why? I know it’s something we’re seeing more of, but but why do you guys think we’re seeing more two big lineups now compared to two or three years ago? I think it’s just in part the players that have entered the league like these skilled bigs Chad Homegrren you know Carl Anthony Towns like spa space and pace and all that like that era where it was like you know PJ Tucker playing the five now there’s actual sevenfooters that have entered the NBA they could do those things knock out a corner three like PJ can knock yeah knocked out a corner three yeah for sure 100% I think that’s what it is more than anything else just the the the wave of players that have entered the league yeah I agree that in that with the way the guys can move, mobile, can stretch, rebound, you know, that’s you got to go two. You got to go two of those type of guys if you have them. Can’t keep one of those on the bench. I think I think that’s right, Chris. Like like isn’t it isn’t it like it’s not just shooting either. It’s the mobility, right? Yeah. It’s all that. It’s like keeping the ball moving on offense. It’s moving your feet, being able to survive on the on the perimeter on defense. And I think part of it like I always think like you mentioned OKC Marcus like they last year in the middle of the season at one point you know Chad’s out Hartinstein’s out it wasn’t until like I think March where they finally had both of those guys healthy and and their head coach Mark Dagnon at one point was asked by the media they’re like hey the the two big lineup is struggling like why are you continuing to play it and he’s like well the regular season for us is about experimenting sometimes we’re using the two big lineup in situations where it actually doesn’t make sense to do it because we want to get experience in situations that aren’t good for us. And it was like this really like long- winded like threeinut reply that I think made a lot of sense to me because like having front court flexibility like all these players have entered the league with skill and size. And so from a coaching perspective, I think having this front court flexibility and lineup flexibility where you can take on different shapes and play different styles, I think that to me is like the number one championship ingredient. Having versatility with the types of styles you can play and and I think for the Bucks, the way they built out on this roster from the front office perspective, I’d imagine that’s in the en the vision here. The question now is like what does Doc Rivers do with the pieces that he’s given because they have a lot of different guys that can play different roles with Giannis being the center of that solar system. So, I’m excited for the Bucks, man. I like I feel like everybody talks in the Eastern Conference about, you know, the Knicks and the Cavs and, you know, what’s going to happen with the Selix and Pacers this year like with with their guys out? Are they going to be lottery teams? And the Bucks, meanwhile, still have one of the two, three best players in the world, and the East is wide open and things could be reshaped. And so, thanks. I I just can’t wait to see the way it all kind of plays out. Is there any world that you can imagine the Bucks cracking the top three in the East? Everybody we talked to seems to have the Bucks and it’s fine. I mean, you know, somewhere between four and seven. I don’t think I’ve ever heard say four. Well, play I don’t know. I don’t know if eight play. Yeah, five and seven somewhere. You talk about the Cavs and the Knicks and Orlando and Atlanta, the improvements they’ve made. I’m probably That was my That was my That was my That was my reaction, too. I’m like, “What? Really? You guys are hating on the Bucks?” Where do you see where do you see this Eastern Conference? All things falling right into place for all the teams, let’s say. And like I think like look, the Cavs, that’s fair to put ahead of them. The Knicks, that’s fair. the Magic. I love their additions. It’s still going to have to do have to do with what Ben Carro and Vogner do. Like your best players need to elevate their game. So, we’ll see there. But like putting the Hawks ahead of them, the Pistons ahead of them. I’m not I’m not quite there yet with those teams like like you look at the odds makers like I’ve seen some odds. I think I bet MGM they have like the Celtics with better finals odds in the East than the Bucks. Tam, we don’t even know if he’s going to play next year. So, I just I have a hard time getting there. And so, I ultimately I think the Bucks, it’s fair to put them like fourth or fifth in my opinion. I I I think fourth or fifth behind Cavs, Knicks, and Magic. I’ll give them the credit I think that they deserve uh as a team that could get better next season with good health, but I’m not putting the Pistons ahead of them yet. I’m not putting the Hawks ahead of them. And the Sixers is the Sixers very well could finish ahead of a lot of these teams if Joel Embiid stays healthy. if Paul George has a bounceback year, but those are like massive ifs and ultimately I don’t think you get a high level of confidence there. So, the Bucks feel safe to me at at four. Um, and I’m a little bit surprised that anybody would have him have them ranked eight. That feels like too hot of a take, honestly. Oh, yeah. Yeah, that that that’d be that I mean, we’ll, you know, we’ll take fourth in in a heartbeat. I mean, we’re hoping for better, but fourth sounds good. Could be better. Kevin, you also talked about Miles Turner. One of the things you like about him is his quick decision making and and talk about that. explain to to our listeners why that that that that importance of of a big in terms of today’s NBA where that fits in. I mean, I just think like you saw it last year with Indiana when you play with a guy like Tyrese Hallebertton and the speed and the tempo at which they played your your big needs to be a connective piece and that was true on the other side as well with Isaiah Hartenstein. having a big who can make quick decisions, know the right angle to set a screen, being able to adjust quickly and and I think Turner now 10 years into his NBA career has gotten very very good at those things on top of being a very good shooter as a seven-footer. So for the Bucks, depending on the style they play, that that those traits are going to be highly valuable for them in a front court next to Giannis and for a team that has a a bunch of different shooters on the roster as well, can play five out and having that spacer who can make decisions is is of the utmost importance. Yeah, the connective big is one of the most valuable positions I think offensively and defensively for teams because he it doesn’t show up in the stat sheet. the things that he does, the shots he opens up, the lanes, the angles, like you don’t do it. Like I remember uh the Warriors with Bogat. Bogat was a nice connective big kind of dude with from the screens and on offense and how he moved quick find stuff, knew how to play with guys. Turner, I wouldn’t say similar to Bogot, but he’s definitely connective in that sense. Yeah. And and when the U Thunder picked up Isaiah, who’s the son of a guy Kevin, you may not have known as Floinstein or Stein. What is it? Stein, Stein, Stein, what are we saying? I mean, I think I think I think uh some of the announcers uh like uh Mike Breen says Hartonstein. I I don’t know. So, some sometimes it comes out as Steenstein. I I sometimes I don’t know. I say it all different ways. His dad Flowheart and Stein played against Chris at Oregon. Wow. I didn’t even know that was his dad. You did not know that? Yeah. I didn’t even know that was his pot. I did not know that till just now, bro. Well, and you look at Isaiah, you know, Isaiah doesn’t look like a typical brother to say. Not a typ not a typical brother. No, typical brother. But he’s got some funny stories. He told me a story at OKC about how he’s been in situations where guys have started making some some some racially tinged comments and he’s thinking he’s white. Yeah. And he’s got to say, “Hold uh uh hold up, wait a minute. You know, I’m half black, you know. But but but my wait, he’s he’s half he’s half Flo Hartstein. He’s half KO. He’s half. Flo is German. Flo is German. Flo looks like he may be half black and you know, black biracial. We’re going to check on on his DNA. But but that’s his dad. And so, but Isaiah like is real real, you know, he’s real into like, hey, I got I got to put a halt to all that. But my point is is that man, I’ve always loved his game because he plays so well uh KO C in in that uh in that short role position, you know, set a screen. Not his floater game with the Clippers first and then who would it go? The Knicks. His floater game was elite. You look at his floater numbers right in that little floater area on the short row and then with OKC does much the same thing, but he’s got that that mindset. I see some similarities with Miles Turner. You talk about decision- making, you know, short roll, catch, on the move, shot, jumper, floater, pass. I mean, God, I mean, the the the the potential with a guy like him, the flexibility, let me put it that way, right? Just just just it’s got he’s got to have Doc Rivers and his staff salivating right now. I I would hope so for sure. I mean, like I think Hartinstein like he’s got like an automatic like that little in between game. Turn Turn Turn Turner, you know, not quite the level of Hartinstein, but he still can do some stuff in the in between range. You know, you can he’s look, he’s a type of guy that there’s certain bigs in the NBA, you give them the ball in the post, they’re hopeless. With with Miles Turner, end of the shot clock, you can feed him and he can get you a bucket. He can be a pick and pop guy. He can be a guy who attacks a close out here and there. He can be a guy who finishes loudly at the rim when he has space to launch as well. So, the versatility, like that’s always the thing. Versatility, flexibility, being able to score in different ways, being able to use different lineups, being able to defend multiple positions. Like, that’s that’s the name of the game in today’s NBA. And I just think like with Brook Lopez, he was a dominant piece for the Bucks when they win a when they won a championship with some of those playoff runs, but he is not quite that same player anymore. And so to go from him to Miles Turner, it kind of modernizes what the Bucks can be. And so I I think that’s very exciting and still surprising. I’m still like I’m still shocked that they actually got Miles Turner because after all these years of Miles Turner being involved in trade conversations with the pieces. Every single year it was always about trade talks with Miles Turner and then as soon as everybody assumes he’s going to go back and he’s there to stay, he leaves. It’s just the craziest thing. It is. When you look at the Bucks roster and you evaluate, you know, by position, where do you see the weakest sort of link or the, you know, what what position you think the Bucks are the weakest at right now when you look at their roster? You know, it it depends if if we’re going to see Point Giannis with him center of the team, bringing the ball up, you know, half court DHOs, you know, playing a a more involved playmaking role than he ever has in his entire career. a lot like we saw end of the season in April. If we’re seeing that version of Giannis, I think I would generally say, is there enough shooting around him on the team? That would be my number one concern regardless of position. If Giannis is not going to be that guy, my my number one concern would be just like who’s going to be the pure point. Is it Kevin Porter? Is it Cole Anthony? Like are we gonna see more uh Ryan Rollins? Like who who’s gonna be that’s gonna be that’s gonna help him run that offense? And I don’t I don’t quite see that other guy that I would trust to do that on a full-time basis if Giannis is is not the guy who’s going to be running point for the team over the course of the season. So I guess that that’s two different answers to to answer your question, but but ultimately the the overall concern still in my book would be, you know, regardless of Giannis’ role is is there still enough shooting? Um and and that ultimately is I think the true answer there regardless of position. Well, why do you say I mean you look at Tori and Prince He’s got what he’s over 40% top five in the league last year. Gary Trent Jr. finished strong. I mean Kevin Porter Jun Green up over 40. Ryan Rollins shot 40%. I mean limited sample size but Andre Jackson Jr. shot 39%. Shocker even though small sample size but shocker and I I just That’s messed up man. Dre listen is a listener too. That’s messed up. Sorry Dre. Sorry Dre. No man I love Andre. I love Andre. It was not It was not a shot a game. Let’s get Let’s get that volume up, right? You got to shoot the dag on ball. But but but also like I I’m an Andre Jackson guy. I think Doc Rivers needs to play him more. Okay. Started 43 games last year, but you think he kind of lost fell out fell out of favor. Okay. So, let’s talk about that. Um are you an analytics guy? I know you are, but to what degree? To what degree? I like eye test. I like numbers. I like I like both. Okay. So the reason reason I ask so so Andre Jackson Jr. his minutes dwindle as the season progresses especially playoff time. But in terms of analytics okay so you got this triumvirant that I call them and Kevin Porter Jr. Gary Trent Jr. and AJ Green if you look at their oncourt numbers when they played with Giannis they’re in the 100 percentile in every offensive category I think except maybe turnover percentage or something like that. a free throw free throw rate, everything’s 100%. Defensively, same thing across the board. Doc started them in that uh closeout game against the pace game five or whatever it was back in Indiana. He actually started that crew and and jumped out to a 15, 18, 20 point lead early, kind of kind of kind of faded uh down the stretch into overtime and and whatever whatever. But but what lineup do you think? What starting lineup? Would you go with the analytics and go with that those three great shooters, great perimeter defenders with Giannis, or h how do you think that’s going to shake out? Yeah, I’d go with the shooters, as many shooters as possible. So, I’m kind of contradicting exactly what I just said with playing Andre Jackson for more minutes, but but I’d start with I’d start with those guys, but I I I would just want to see Andre Jackson play more than, you know, 13 14 minutes per game. Why? Why? because of the defensive intensity, because of the the cutting and the activity and the movement, I think you can plug him into different spaces offensively. Like, get creative. Like, to me, get creative with Andre Jackson. Use him as a screener in a roller. Put him in the dunker spot sometimes near the basket. Like, have him sometimes spotting up in the corner. Have him in different places on the floor. And I think that’s where Andre Jackson was at his best at Yukon like was he was playing in a halfcourt offense with motion and movement and speed and the Bucks offense last year was just not that. So I understand why he fell out of the rotation, but maybe this season things would be a bit different. But you know, to answer your question, yes, I’d want to start as many shooters as possible. Well, he’s Andre Jackson Jr. is a hockey assist waiting to happen. I’m not sure what his secondary assists were looking like overall, but he’s that kind of guy that that that movement guy, that middle fielder like Zadan and some of these great hockey middlefielders. Nice. MJ and Rude Rude Glet Rude Gullet. What’s our guy from uh from Yeah. Old school Rude Glet. We were back in Italy. We used to love watching this guy play with the Udin soccer team. But but to your point about Andre Jackson. So, so, so it’s interesting because I I thought Doc should have played him more, especially his his first year last year. He started 43 games. You know, Doc is I think Doc feels like he’s such an offensive question mark at times that he’s going with more guys that he can kind of pencil in what they’re going to do game in and game out. What you got? me to me to me when Dre would do the thing where you know he have a wide open look or have a a in rhythm in the flow look and he turn it down and try to make an extra play and do something else. I think that that sort of grinds on you as a coach because you just want him to keep the flow going and so if he wasn’t disruptive in that sense I think he wouldn’t have fell out of favor but I think it was too many of those plays kind of compounded compounded the issue and Doc was like man I’m cool. Is is Doc like where’s Doc at with uh Kyle Kosma? Because Kosma like obviously is a great role player with the Lakers. He wins a championship and then he goes to Washington for four years and I didn’t feel like he quite flipped the switch back into Lakers version of Kyle Kosma that I was hoping for. It didn’t happen. Like is is is that player still there? I mean where’s Doc at with him? Well, that that’s that’s a million-dollar question, man. And to his credit, he’s he’s in the lab. He’s been doing great work with Clint Parks, one of our our our buddies out here in LA all summer long. We’ve seen him out at UCLA. I saw him in Milwaukee. Uh just just consistently putting in really really intense work. So he’s aware of it if anybody is. He dropped like this like behind the scenes reality show kind of filming him in Milwaukee KO where he’s kind of, you know, talking about where he’s at mentally and you should check it out. It’s on YouTube. Just you get a really idea of how locked in this guy is. He’s locked in. He understands last year he snuck it up. He probably wasn’t in the type of condition that he needs to be to be able to take on those type of defensive assignments that he’s going to be tasked with guarding. And then the the other side, he played a lot of small forward last year. I think he’ll play more power forward this year, which will allow him to be a more active dude and not have to chase and run and just play a I think he’ll be Lakers Cruz next year. Chris thinks he’s a four. He thinks he’s strictly a four. Kevin, what do you you think that’s that’s the position he can thrive at in today’s NBA? Has the game evolved where it’s just kind of passing by as a as a as a effective threeman? I I think he’s going to have to play some three too though. Yeah, he will. He’s going to have to. I mean, he’s going to have to play next to Giannis and next to Turner. Some lineups are Giannis and Portoris. It’s inevitable he’ll have to. But like I do think if if Koosma is playing some four, then that means again like if Giannis is off the floor, you get a a five who can space and Turner or Portoris. If Giannis is willing to play the five, then you still have like all, you know, five guys who can switch out there because Koozma can play the four. And so I think it’s fair like to give him a pass for last season. It’s hard to go from losing for four straight years with no expectations to win to set suddenly start having winning expectations. And as you said, Chris, like him getting in optimal shape, maybe he just wasn’t in the best shape with all the losing. And I don’t think so. Yeah, I don’t think so either. I didn’t feel like it. And so for him, like I interviewed Koozma years ago and I talked with his mom like uh you know I think we were going to do a story and just you know things changed that season. Maybe he had an injury or something like that. I forget exactly what happened but like he he he’s a good kid. Like I think with K like people I think sometimes there’s this perception of Koozma that like he’s lazy or that he doesn’t he doesn’t care or like he cares about the wrong things. It’s like no. think Koosmo like is actually a good dude and like a good teammate and a genuine person and he works hard and and I think ultimately if if he is indeed in the gym this summer trying to get in optimal shape maybe he’s the type of guy who has a big bounce back. So don’t let the tattoo the fashion sense fool you. I think No, but seriously don’t judge a book by it cover. Don’t judge a book by it cover. I’m being silly. He’s got some talk about outfits. I don’t know where why I’m segway into this. But I’m thinking about some of the stuff Miles Turner wears the games. Cuz but we we we got some guys bad with Gary Trent. Gary Trent comes with the drip the drip as well. The Bucks are the most dripped out team in the league next year. Watch. Watch. You got Turner. Turner’s going to come in with the feather boas and all type of stuff. The leather more than OKC. Oh, hey. It’s going to be close. Neck and neck, baby. All right. All right. I see I see some of these outfits guys wear and and I’m like I’d say no to that. Like who would who’s dressing these guys and some of the stuff they’re putting on? Like like Russ over the years why why do you agree to this? Oh my god. It’s this concept because you’re skinny or in shape or have like lower than 5% body fat, you get to wear the craziest outfits of all time. There’s like Did Russell Westbrook start that in this generation? Was he one of the beginning beginners of just kind of you know just just put on a card put on a cardboard box and some platform shoes and hey I look sweet% put on put on a dress put on a dress you know skirt or something. Well you know Rodman Rodman started the dress in the NBA. Come on let’s be real. Come on my generation. I mean, o o over over my shoulder. I I got Jimmyi Hendris over my shoulder. So, like like talk talk about talk about people dressed in all flamboyant and style and all that like Well, I mean, what you know about Jimmy Henry, man, I see that guitar in the background. But no, but but that’s my alltime favorite, Kevin. And and and so my my my fashion motif this season, I got away from wearing shirts and ties and all into flower pastel kind of Jimmy Jimmy Hendrick style. I got my tailor uh this guy named Nas in Milwaukee, man. Give me the the craziest, most outlandish flower pastel shirt you can find me, man. I’m wearing that with my suit. So dope. And it’s and it’s Jimmyi Hendendricks influence, man. That’s my guy. I love Jimmy. You love it. I mean, I I I love Jimmy so much. He he’s he’s the really the reason why I started playing guitar. Really? Almost 20 years ago. I started when I was what 15 16 years old. Um yeah, I love Jimmy. Like his him playing Machine Gun. You ever hear that with the bandit band of gypsies? Oh, please. But yeah, the best is that with Buddy Miles. Chris, my my alltime favorite is Who Knows on that same live from the Fillmore 1969. Play it over and over again. Who knows? I can play that and it’s like 12 minutes long and I might play it 10 times in a row, man. them them changes. Oh, yeah. Come on, man. talking about label power and love. Power and love. I mean that album people understand how good that that freaking album is, man. And and Jimmy and Buddy Miles, they make it go. But so let’s let’s talk about um awards we had. Who Jim Ozarkski? Was it Jim Ozarkski? Chris who talked about you know when you’re playing with Giannis, eyeballs on you. People are watching. People are watching you. And so now you got a chance to get you some postseason accolades. So I’m just looking. episode. Miles Turner as an alldefensive guy, but most improved is what I want to focus on. And if you look over my shoulder here, there’s a trophy here right by my uh what goes up goes in poster. Kind of a glass basketball right there. Let me point to it if I can. Right there. Okay, that trophy there. Okay, that trophy, Kevin, Chris, is the very last comeback player of the year award in 1986, which I won. Now, the they they they discontinued the award after that year because there were too many guys with drug issues. Now, I didn’t win it because of a drug issue, even though I could have. No, I didn’t win it because of a drug issue. I had an injury with the Clippers, broke my hand, first day of training camp, blah blah blah. Came back the next year, averaged 20 plus, made the All-Star team, went comeback player of the year. Same year that my my my good buddy, the late great Bill Walton, won six man of the year. Wow. After that year, they discontinued discontinued. Then they started the most improved player. So, I’m I’mma run down a list of guys and and who would you think has a legitimate chance, Kevin Chris, to win MIP most improved? But some of these younger guys, KPJ, Gary Trent, Cole Anthony, Ryan Rollins, who has a chance to have that kind of breakout season to get those eyeballs on them? I I think I think Kevin Porter Jr. cuz he’s only going to be 25 and like we’ve seen him have success, but it was in more losing situations or situations without any expectation of winning. Like if the Bucks if the Bucks are top three, top four in the East and if and if Giannis is like in the MVP conversation and if he’s not the point guard still, if Kevin Porter is definitely the number one candidate to take on that role next season, I would I would think to be that guy. We saw some flashes last year. He had some really good moments for the with the Bucks last season. So without Dame there anymore, who knows? Maybe maybe Kevin Porter Jr. has uh a year more like he did with Houston a couple years back where he averaged 20 points a game, you know, five, six rebounds and assists, and he’s put up big numbers in a winning situation. So I wouldn’t bet on any of those guys on the Bucks personally, but I think of the ones you listed, Kevin Porter would be the most likely. Hey, do you still uh I I Dude, I remember you used to like stream when you played like Modern Warfare or something. Oh, yeah. Do you still do that? Yeah, I I uh I did I did I did one yesterday actually for the first time in a long while. Okay. Okay. I had to check it out. Yeah, it’s it’s fun to do, man. I had some nasty snipes yesterday uh playing. Yeah. But uh yeah, I I love doing it. It’s fun like to talk with people back and forth and talk basketball while chilling playing Call of Duty. So, it’s That was like my introduction. That was my introduction to you. I knew you before. Then I was like, “Wait, what’s up with this guy?” I swear to God, dude. I was like, “Oh, yeah. This dude is sick.” Yeah, that’s wild. I know. It’s It’s a good time. It’s a good time, man. Like I think like everybody’s got their own thing where they kind of sit back and chill after, you know, doing do working or whatever. For me, it’s guitar and Call of Duty, you know? Those just things I like doing. So, and when I mention Yeah. When I mentioned that Josiah, we were having you on the show, Kevin, he got all excited. Tell tell him I said what’s up. And what’s what’s what’s your history with Josiah? Where what do you guys I I think just connecting over social media. I mean, like he’s one of the funniest people on the planet and uh you know, and uh the dude’s awesome and we connected over there and I think I I don’t know like just Josiah and I maybe met in person only like once or twice, but he’s like an internet friend, you know. Um so yeah, it’s uh yeah, it’s uh yeah, you guys uh it’s it’s pretty cool how you guys all do your own different thing in media. It’s awesome. Appreciate you. Listen, we appreciate you coming by here, District Man. Continued success to you and man, please, please come back and join us once this thing gets underway during the regular season. We appreciate you. Would love to. Thank you guys for having me. Enjoy your summers. This has been a Bucks Plus audio production.

Kevin O’Connor of Yahoo Sports joins Kris & Marques Johnson to analyze the Milwaukee Bucks’ offseason moves and how it positioned them to contend in a wide-open Eastern Conference. But first, Kevin shares his reactions to the Bucks’ signings, how Cole Anthony factors into the lineup, Giannis Antetokounmpo’s place in ‘Best player in the world’ debates, how Myles Turner fits in Milwaukee and adds an element of versatility, Point Giannis, the Bucks’ potential new Starting 5 and how players like Kevin Porter Jr., Kyle Kuzma & Andre Jackson Jr. can fulfill their potential next season. They also discuss the state of restricted free agency, a hilarious story about Isaiah Hartenstein, Jimi Hendrix’s influence & much more.

0:00 — Intro
3:31 — Bucks’ Summer
4:49 — Cole Anthony
12:10 — Best In The World
13:55 — Giannis & Myles’ Fit
18:52 — Bucks & East Projections
26:02 — Starters & Roster Analysis
37:47 — MIP Potential

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