The Milwaukee Bucks are expected to enter the 2025-26 NBA season with just one superstar in Giannis Antetokounmpo.
In the modern era, it’s common to see NBA franchises adding multiple stars to their rosters. The Milwaukee Bucks tried that experiment but pulled the plug on it this offseason.
After all, they waived Damian Lillard, leaving Giannis Antetokounmpo with a rather underwhelming supporting cast.
Yes, they traded for Indiana Pacers’ Myles Turner, but it’s safe to say that Antetokounmpo will have his toughest season since 2018 with the Bucks.
Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty ImagesMilwaukee Bucks need to come out of ‘superstar-driven era’ bubble, says Wosny Lambre
Until the 2010s, having a superstar of Antetokounmpo’s caliber surrounded by average role players could have given teams a chance to win NBA titles.
However, according to The Ringer’s Wosny Lambre, that era is gone, and the Bucks need to realize sooner rather than later.
“We’ve got to get out of the superstar-driven era that we all grew up in. Where it could be Shaq and Kobe, and Devean George. Or it could be Mike and Scottie and Jud Buechler,” Lambre said.
He added: “Your roster needs to be more well-rounded. Just look at OKC, look at Denver. You need to have seven or eight complementary and capable rotation players.
“It’s just not good enough to have individual greatness on your team.”
Even in 2021, when the Bucks lifted the Larry O’Brien trophy, Antetokounmpo was surrounded by talented rotation players such as Khris Middleton, Jrue Holiday, and Brook Lopez.
Even if Giannis Antetokounmpo plays like ‘peak Michael Jordan,’ the Milwaukee Bucks will struggle
Adding more to his point, Lambre then named the teams that are better than the Bucks in the Eastern Conference heading into the 2025-26 NBA season.
“I’m supposed to look at the Bucks as better than Detroit? I don’t think so. Detroit just has way more evenly-dispersed talent throughout their rotation, and Detroit’s going to be better.
“Orlando’s going to be better. We know the Knicks are going to be way better than them. Obviously, Cleveland is going to be way better, those are four teams right there,” Lambre continued.
He then delivered the finishing blow to the Bucks’ championship ambitions by stating that even if Giannis plays like the peak version of Michael Jordan, the team won’t get past the 50-win mark next season.
“Giannis could play like peak Jordan next season, this team is not winning 50 games,” Lambre concluded.
Now, that’s a brutal prediction about the Bucks, but can Lambre really be blamed? After all, the Bucks have faced first-round exits in three consecutive years with a better roster than they have right now.