What's the Ceiling for the Milwaukee Bucks in the 2025-26 Season?
The Milwaukee Bucks have had one of the more interesting fall-offs in recent NBA history. The Bucks won their second NBA championship after a 50-year drought in a picture-perfect storybook ending. Their unassuming draft pick, Giannis Antetokounmpo, rose to be the MVP of the league and led the Bucks to the Finals, where they managed to come back from being down two games. Since then, the Bucks haven't lived up to expectations, but that doesn't mean there isn't any hope for the next season.
The Bucks have a chance to make a run this season due to how weak the Eastern Conference is this year. The Boston Celtics are going to be operating with a depleted roster after losing Jayson Tatum to an Achilles tear. After deciding to part ways with Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis, the Celtics won't be able to make a run this season and will most likely focus on developing players in the hope of flipping them for trade assets or improving them so they’re more reliable when Tatum eventually returns. Although they still have Jaylen Brown and Derrick White to lead the team, the front office won't want to push their remaining stars and risk additional injuries. The Indiana Pacers are also a bust for next season due to Tyrese Haliburton also suffering from an Achilles injury. The Bucks will be a more competitive team this year since they don't have a returning star to rely on; the roster they have is the one they're stuck with. Although the supporting cast around Giannis is weak, the 2021 NBA Champion hasn't taken a step back, and he should be able to carry the Bucks throughout the regular season.
The Bucks won't be able to compete with the New York Knicks and the Cleveland Cavaliers this season. These teams performed better than the Bucks last season, and either improved or remained the same caliber of team. Then there are the teams that are likely to beat the Bucks in the regular season after improving in the offseason. The Orlando Magic filled in the gaps of their offense, the Detroit Pistons replenished their depth and gave their young roster experience, and the Atlanta Hawks finally gave Trae Young a solid supporting cast in both player quality and fit. The best-case scenario for the Bucks would be fighting for the sixth seed against a weakened Celtics roster and an ambitious Miami Heat team. They will likely have another first-round exit, but they will at least be able to say they were competitive.
