The Milwaukee Bucks didn’t have the most active offseason compared to other teams in their conference, but no one would question their potential as one of the teams tipped to make a deep playoff run in the 2024-25 season.
One factor for the bookies to think this way is the team’s core trio of offensive juggernauts. Giannis Antetokounmpo, Damian Lillard, and Khris Middleton can outscore many NBA teams if all three are fully healthy. It’s not unreasonable for fans to expect them to keep on dumping points on their opponents day in and day out.
![Milwaukee Bucks: Analyst Shares Honest Thoughts About Rookie's Chances as Brook Lopez Replacement in 2024-25 Season 1 Milwaukee Bucks, Brook Lopez](https://wisportsheroics.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/USATSI_22049512_168400517_lowres.jpg)
Another key factor to their success is Brook Lopez. He’s been a terrific floor spacer for the Bucks ever since developing a three-point shot, and the team offering him an extension shows how critical he is to Doc Rivers’ game plan for the Bucks’ 2025 title push.
However, it cannot be denied that the big’s time with the Bucks is running short. He’s already 36, and it’s only a matter of time before his size and shooting cannot cover for his sluggishness.
The Bucks may have found a replacement in the draft in Tyler Smith, and one analyst is cautiously hopeful that he becomes the heir apparent to Lopez’s spot on the roster.
Analyst hopes Tyler Smith can make Brook Lopez’s eventual Milwaukee Bucks exit less painful
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Brew Hoop’s Jack Trehearne wrote about Smith’s potential to become a one-for-one replacement for Lopez, highlighting his ability to shoot that not a lot of rookie bigs have in their bag:
I find myself cautiously optimistic about Smith’s future with this team. The reality is that you just don’t find guys his size who shoot like that. I’m no draft expert, but I thought taking him early in the second round was a completely defensible pick, especially for this team.
The Bucks front office is no doubt trying to plan for the next five to ten years after Brook Lopez is retired and/or Bobby Portis is gone. For all his talent, Giannis is somewhat difficult to build around because you ideally want to surround him with shooting big men, which just don’t grow on trees. Therefore, getting Smith in the fold now, even if he doesn’t play this season, was probably not something they could pass up on. College Basketball Scouting put together a nice little montage of how the New Orleans native scores on offence. I mean, if nothing else, I could watch this kid shoot in an empty gym for hours. That thing is pretty:
The 6’11” forward had a solid showing during his lone year with the G League Ignite, averaging 13.4 PPG, 5.2 RPG, 1.2 APG, and 3.5 BPG. More importantly, he had a solid 40% clip from the three-point line.
![Milwaukee Bucks: Analyst Shares Honest Thoughts About Rookie's Chances as Brook Lopez Replacement in 2024-25 Season 3 milwaukee bucks tyler smith](https://wisportsheroics.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/gettyimages-1667208752-667e0b7a4a9c5.jpg)
It remains to be seen if his performance in the G League will translate to the NBA, but everything is set up for his success. All he has to do is take his shot and prepare to take over Lopez’s role when Father Time eventually catches up to the 2021 NBA champion.
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