Bucks projected lineup with Brayden Burries, Nate Ament: How Milwaukee's roster looks in post-Giannis era
Bucks projected lineup with Brayden Burries, Nate Ament: How Milwaukee’s roster looks in post-Giannis era originally appeared on The Sporting News.
Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
At pick No. 10, the Milwaukee Bucks began their post-Giannis Antetokounmpo era by drafting former Arizona guard Brayden Burries.
The freshman was great for the Wildcats this past season and was a large reason why they reached the school’s first Final Four since 2001. This past season, the freshman averaged 16.1 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 2.4 assists, while shooting 49.1% from the field and 39.1% from beyond the arc.
While he excelled in college, how will Burries fare in the Cream City?
Here’s what Milwaukee’s new era will look like with Burries added as the newest member of the team.
2026 NBA DRAFT HQ: Live picks tracker | Pick-by-pick grades | Best players still available
Bucks roster with Brayden Burries, Nate Ament
| Player | Position | Age |
| Brayden Burries | G | 20 |
| AJ Green | G | 26 |
| Gary Harris | G | 31 |
| Tyler Herro | G | 26 |
| Andre Jackson Jr. | G | 22 |
| Kasparas Jakucionis | G | 20 |
| Kevin Porter Jr. | G | 26 |
| Ryan Rollins | G | 23 |
| Gary Trent Jr. | G | 27 |
| Nate Ament | F | 19 |
| Ousmane Dieng* | F | 23 |
| Jaime Jacquez Jr. | F | 25 |
| Kyle Kuzma | F | 30 |
| Pete Nance | F | 26 |
| Taurean Prince | F | 32 |
| Jericho Sims | C | 27 |
| Myles Turner | C | 30 |
| Kel’el Ware | C | 22 |
*Restricted free agent*
Burries will walk into Milwaukee’s practice facility and be one of many on a new team. Tyler Herro, Kasparas Jakucionis, Jaime Jacquez Jr., and Kel’el Ware were notified they would be moving to the Cream City one night before the former Illinois guard did as a part of the Antetokounmpo trade.
Burries will likely play behind Ryan Rollins and Herro as Milwaukee’s starting two guards, but he can jump a few names on the list if he has a nice Summer League showing. New head coach Taylor Jenkins’ new system for the Bucks will likely dictate how much the league sees of Burries in his rookie year.
Milwaukee’s post-Giannis era will likely be a slightly competitive rebuild. If the team falters down the stretch and the season looks lost, Burries’ playtime may increase in hopes that he can speed up his development.
MORE 2026 NBA DRAFT NEWS:
- Ranking top 60 players in 2026 NBA Draft
- Safest picks in 2026, including Cam Boozer and Bennett Stirtz
- Nate Ament, Jayden Quaintance lead riskiest draft prospects
Bucks projected starting five
Here’s a glance at how Milwaukee’s starting lineup could look to begin the season:
- Ryan Rollins
- Tyler Herro
- Jaime Jacquez Jr.
- Kyle Kuzma
- Kel’el Ware
While Burries does have a path to the starting lineup if names ahead of him get injured, he won’t be a starter on Opening Night. A road to the starting lineup would have been easier attained if he were a true point guard, but because he is more of a combo guard, he would likely have to sit behind Herro.
Milwaukee’s starting five will likely feature three trade acquisitions from the Antetokounmpo trade that happened on the eve of draft night. Herro, Jacquez Jr., and Ware should be key players for the first year of Jenkins’ tenure at the helm. While they departed from a top player in their franchise’s history, the roster all around can hold its own.
Rollins and Kuzma will most likely be the only 2025-26 Bucks to march out onto the court for the opening tip. Last season, the duo both tallied more than 40 starts for the Bucks (Rollins, 67; Kuzma, 43), so they do have starting experience. It may take some time for them to mesh with the former Heat players, but maybe a new Jenkins system will put everyone on the same starting foot.
