Is it possible to have too much talent on one team? If so this may be the issue with the Milwaukee Bucks and why they have failed the last two seasons. In 2014 the new look Bucks, with new coach, Jason Kidd fought their way to the playoffs with a young, athletic and spunky roster. But the following year it all came crashing down as those same young players forgot they were a team.
As the Bucks get ready to head into the 2016-17 season they must figure out their identity and each players role. To be a winner and with this much talent, everyone must do their part. They are not the Houston Rockets where the team will go only as far as James Harden takes them. No. The Bucks are loaded with talent and potential, they just need to learn how to act as a unit.
Any lineup that features all five starters in double-digit scoring should be a team near the top of the standings. But, I cannot put the blame entirely on the players. Kidd must shoulder some of this as well. He failed in Brooklyn because he could not make his mind up on which lineup to use. He never gave the team an identity. There were older than these Bucks but they trusted Kidd and at times he looked lost on the sidelines. I see the same traits being played out in Milwaukee.
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If reports are true, then Kidd is one position switch away from losing his job. If Kidd lets Giannis Antetokounmop take over as the official PG, the Bucks can kiss their season goodbye. The Greek Freak is just that when he’s on the court, he’s a PG trapped in a PF body but that doesn’t mean that he must play there. You don’t see the Pelicans playing Antony Davis there, even though he has the skills to.
Giannis for all his skills still averages close to four fouls per game. If you switch him to PG against smaller players that are quicker he will tend to reach with his long arms and then the whistle blows. What will Kidd do then? He must continue to play his roster they way he has. Michael Carter-Williams is not as bad as people think. Accounting for players that average over 20+ minutes per game Carter-Williams still had the third highest FG% on the team. He averaged 12 points, five assists, five rebounds and two steals per game. How is that not productive?
The other guard spot is being held down by Khris Middleton and his 18 points per game. Middleton is the streaky shooter than can get hot at any minute. He’s a solid defender and will put his body on the line for the sake of the team. Jabari Parker is another player that’s very underrated. He averaged 14 points and five rebounds in 32 minutes of action. The post is held down by big man, Greg Monroe, who averaged 15 points and eight rebounds.
When looking at the Bucks you must wonder if it’s their youth or the leadership that’s the issue. The Bucks are loaded with talent but Kidd tends to think the issue is within the unit. No. The issue is with consistency. As long as he keeps second guessing himself then the team will fall right in line and question their roles. The players know what they can do but the coach must trust them in the long run.
The Bucks may have too much talent, not for them but for Kidd. He simply can’t handle the versatility of his own team.