National Basketball Association

Milwaukee Bucks: Perfect Storm for a Rebuild

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

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Despite the NBA landscape currently revolving around the so-called “superteam,” this is also the perfect time for the Milwaukee Bucks to be rebuilding.

Jun 26, 2014; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Jabari Parker (Duke) tips his cap to the crowd while standing with NBA commissioner Adam Silver after being selected as the number two overall pick to the Milwaukee Bucks in the 2014 NBA Draft at the Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

Although fans of the Milwaukee Bucks would surely want the team to be contending as fast as possible, maybe waiting isn’t the worst thing in the world.

When you look at the Golden State Warriors, San Antonio Spurs and Cleveland Cavaliers, what do all these teams have in common? Superstars. And not just one superstar, but superstars, plural.

The Warriors center their team around the talents of Kevin Durant, Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green. The Spurs have Kawhi Leonard and LaMarcus Aldridge.

The Cavaliers have LeBron James, Kyrie Irving, and Kevin Love. Even the teams in the second tier of the league, like the Toronto Raptors, are led by stars Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan.

What does this need for superstars mean for the modern NBA? More importantly, what does it mean about the Milwaukee Bucks prospects for someday winning a title?

Oct 6, 2016; San Jose, CA, USA; Golden State Warriors forward Kevin Durant (35) bites his jersey against the Sacramento Kings in the first quarter at the SAP Center. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports

What does this mean for the NBA?

Well, basically it means that the all the top teams in the league have their core of superstars that are ready to take the league by storm. To be perfectly fair, there are only a handful of teams capable of winning the NBA title this season.

This might sound extremely depressing to fans of other teams, but this is a great time in the NBA. The league-wide parity might not be at an all-time high, but the entertainment value of watching these teams square off is incredible.

Those powerhouse teams are going to be extremely fun to watch and should make for an incredibly fun string of playoff series. The possibility of seeing a team like the Boston Celtics sneak back into the top of the East, or a team like the Los Angeles Clippers finally breaking through, or the potential rematch of Cleveland and Golden State in the Finals are what make the NBA season fun.

Even if that means some more ordinary teams have to sit and wait for their chance to play in June, it can be worth it when a team takes the time to rebuild the right way and become a superteam. These superteams are becoming more and more common–but what are they, exactly?

Oct 30, 2015; Cleveland, OH, USA; Miami Heat guard Dwyane Wade (3) talks with Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James (23) after the game at Quicken Loans Arena. The Cavs beat the Heat 102-92. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports

How does a “superteam” work?

To put together a “superteam,” a team needs to acquire, either through the draft, trades, or free agency, at least a couple stars.

For example, teams like the 2007-2008 Boston Celtics created a roster with Ray Allen, Paul Pierce, and Kevin Garnett. Even Rajon Rondo turned himself into a very fine distributor for that group of scorers. In their five years together, that group of players amassed a 273-121 record while also securing 1 NBA Championship.

Then came the Big 3 of the Miami Heat. With LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh, the team went 224-88 over the course of four seasons. They also finished with 2 titles.

The thing about superteams is that they rarely last longer than a few years together. With this being said, the superteams currently in the league are ready to dominate for the next few years while they are together. Because of this, it will be very difficult for a team who doesn’t have a massive supply of stars to rise into contention.

And when you’re not competing for a title, a team might as well prepare themselves for a title run a few years down the road. That is why right now is the best time to rebuild.

Mar 14, 2016; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves guard Zach LaVine (8), center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) and guard Andrew Wiggins (22) against the Phoenix Suns at Talking Stick Resort Arena. The Suns defeated the Timberwolves 107-104. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Rebuilding

Rebuilding is not something that any team can do overnight. It is a long and grueling process that takes years of successful draft picks and tapping into potential. And this is the absolute perfect time to do that.

Although they are sometimes not the most popular picks, drafting the high-risk/high-reward players is often the right play. The average starter isn’t what wins championships. Getting major value for draft picks is an enormous help.

Taking a look at the small-market successful teams in the NBA, most of them built themselves up from the ground. With the addition of Kevin Durant, the Warriors are definitely labelled as a superteam, but their championship winning roster was mostly built of players they drafted.

Despite a few misses on those high-risk picks (Ekpe Udoh, 8th overall in 2010), the Warriors selected Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Harrison Barnes, and Draymond Green through the draft. These picks, along with a few trades to build around that core are what made the Warriors’ rebuild so good.

Apr 3, 2016; Milwaukee, WI, USA; Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34), forward Jabari Parker (12) and guard Tyler Ennis (11) during the game against the Chicago Bulls at BMO Harris Bradley Center. Chicago won 102-98. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports

What does this mean for Milwaukee’s Rebuild?

There are multiple steps in creating a successful rebuild. First, a team has to accept that they are entering a rebuilding phase. There has to be 100% dedication towards missing the playoffs for a few seasons in order to get better in the long run.

That is exactly what the Bucks have done. During the extent of the Bucks’ rebuild, the organization has been dedicated to their “Own the Future” mantra.