Bucks News: Doc Rivers Changing Starting Lineup to Rebound from Poor Season Star

Milwaukee is finally making a change — and not a moment too soon.

Oct 31, 2024; Memphis, Tennessee, USA; Milwaukee Bucks head coach Doc Rivers reacts during the first half against the Memphis Grizzlies at FedExForum. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images / Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

After plummeting to a brutal 1-6 start, the reeling Milwaukee Bucks are allegedly, finally making a change to their starting lineup — and not a moment too soon. A moment too late, probably.

Though this writer may have been advocating for the insertion of Delon Wright into the Bucks' starting backcourt ahead of current starter Gary Trent Jr., it appears second-year head coach Doc Rivers is opting to go in a different direction.

Trent, inked to what had looked like a below-market veteran's minimum deal, has been a defensive disaster alongside All-Star point guard Damian Lillard. Neither player can stop anybody, which is not ideal in a league where every point guard can be an elite scorer against the right (read: wrong) defender. Not helping matters is the continued, indefinite absence of former three-time All-Star small forward Khris Middleton, who remains out as he tries to rehabilitate double ankle surgeries.

Middleton could, theoretically at least, prove to be a backdoor stopgap option for those two's blown assignments. His backup, ostensible 3-and-D swingman Taurean Prince, just lacks the footspeed to keep up with smaller guards.

Sources inform Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report that the Bucks plan to replace Trent in their first five with super-athletic wing Andre Jackson Jr., just in time for what should be a pretty winnable matchup against the Utah Jazz Thursday night. Both clubs are 1-6, but only one of those two clubs wants to be. And it's not the Bucks, who expected to compete for another championship this year with All-Stars Giannis Antetokounmpo and Lillard, plus All-Defensive center Brook Lopez and former three-time All-Star small forward Khris Middleton. The team doesn't look like it can stop anybody defensively, and lacks much scoring punch beyond Antetokounmpo and a rapidly aging Lillard.

The 6-foot-6 swingman hasn't been doing much offensively, but he represents a massive defensive upgrade over Trent. In six games, he's averaged a scant 2.7 points on .400/.333/.250 shooting splits (that free throw rate is not a typo), 2.7 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 0.7 steals a night, in just 12.0 minutes per. It remains to be seen if Jackson's promotion will be enough to stop point guards, but at least he'll be able to stay in front of more athletic two-guards.

Again, with the Utah Jazz ailing and trying to tank, the Bucks seem likely to earn their second win of the young season. But the addition of Jackson into the team's first five could be a major, long-term step in the right direction.

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