Bucks Zone

“The clock is kind of ticking on this team!” - Zach Lowe gets real on the Milwaukee Bucks championship window

Being the oldest team in the NBA, there is not too much time for the Bucks to get a couple more banners with this core.

Matthew Dugandzic

© Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
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The Milwaukee Bucks won their first title under Giannis Antetokounmpo's leadership in 2021 but hit a roadblock against the Boston Celtics last season. With a player like Giannis on board, the franchise must capitalize on every season to build on its record. And some believe that the window is narrow.

Roster age is a slight concern

While the main ingredient of a championship roster is a high-performing superstar, having a strong supporting unit has become imperative. The Bucks organization has given that to Antetokounmpo over the last few seasons, with Jrue Holiday, Khris Middleton, and Brook Lopez – to name a few. However, most of them are veterans in the league who may soon show signs of slowing down.

"The clock is kind of ticking on this team in a way that might be sneaking up on people," Zach Lowe said on NBA Today. "I don't mean to be dramatic about it - it's not ticking that fast, but Khris Middleton, Jrue Holiday; these guys are 30 or on the other side of 30. Brook Lopez is older."

"The team around Giannis is getting older, they've traded a lot of picks," he added. "If they don't win it this year or make a finals run this year, it just gets harder and harder every year."

The Bucks will soon have long-term decisions to make

Additionally, the Bucks have spent quite some time and money to make the roster a championship contender. Per Spotrac, the Bucks are reportedly sitting on a $69 million luxury tax bill, making winning now more crucial.

"It's kind of a low-key important year for the Bucks, because their ownership group has expended almost as far as they can go," Briand Windhorst highlighted. "They're deep in their tax - they gave Bobby Portis a contract, they gave Connaughton a contract; but they did not extend Khris Middleton."

Besides Middleton, Antetokounmpo might also be eligible for an extension after the 2022-23 season. How far the team will go this season will be vital in deciding the franchise's trajectory.

"Next summer is the first time Giannis can extend his contract - off the supermax," Windhorst added. "So, we are coming to a point of evaluation for Giannis on the Bucks next year."

The way Giannis is playing right now, nothing is stopping him from putting up an MVP-caliber season. However, in Giannis' words – "The last man standing matters." It will be interesting to see what kind of output the Bucks roster can generate this season.

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Matthew Dugandzic
MATTHEW DUGANDZIC

Matthew finished his bachelor's degree in Economics (Management) at the University of Split and got his master's degree in the same field at the University of Zadar. Whether it is playing the game as an undersized 6'3'' power forward or simply watching it, Matthew can't get enough of it. After all, he has been an avid NBA fan since the 2000s. But don't get him wrong, as Matthew still loves the old-school NBA and is a true student of the game. From on-court moments to off-court stuff, whether it's about the stars of modern-day basketball or legends of the game, Matthew covers every category of the NBA world and basketball in general, as long as it makes for an engaging and exciting story.