Milwaukee opens at home tonight at 0-1, with a rebuilt roster still carrying last season's numbers. Six figures show where the club stands and what each one cannot yet tell us.
Last season
The Bucks went 32-50, scoring 112.2 points per 100 possessions and allowing 118.3. That minus-6.1 margin ranked 25th of 30, at a pace of 98.3. It explains why the front office tore the roster down in June. It does not describe the group Taylor Jenkins coaches now, built around players who arrived this year. Ryan Rollins is the steadiest returning figure: 17.3 points over 74 games, shooting 40.6 percent from three.
This summer
Payroll sits at $191.4 million, $9.0 million under the $200.4 million tax line. Tyler Herro's $33.0 million is the largest deal, and Damian Lillard's $22.5 million option still sits on the books. The cushion means Milwaukee could take on salary without paying tax. It does not mean a deal is close. Hoops Rumors reported the Warriors contacted the Bucks about Kristaps Porzingis, and every Milwaukee first-rounder through 2030 is a swap.
October 14
The Bulls won the preseason meeting 104-125 at Fiserv Forum. Herro, Rollins, Myles Turner, Kyle Kuzma, Jaime Jaquez Jr., AJ Green and Gary Trent Jr. all sat for rest that night, and Ousmane Dieng and Cormac Ryan led Milwaukee with 4 points each. The 21-point margin is real on the ledger of exhibitions. It says almost nothing about tonight, when the regulars are available.
October 21
The opener ended 116-128 in Washington, with Jaquez scoring 18 and Herro 17. Behind them, Jericho Sims has averaged 28.9 minutes over his last ten games and Pete Nance, re-signed October 20, 28.2 over his last five. Those minutes show how hard the frontcourt depth is being leaned on. They do not prove either man has earned a permanent role. Herro's 20.5 points last season came in only 33 games.
Tonight
Milwaukee is 0-1, 13th in the East and one game behind sixth-place Charlotte, with 81 to play. Power rankings moved the Bucks from 25th to 21st in a week, which reflects opinion more than results. Chicago arrives 0-1 on its second straight road game, with Nic Claxton out with a hamstring injury and Josh Giddey day-to-day with a wrist issue.
How far are the Bucks below the luxury tax this season?
Milwaukee's payroll is $191.4 million, about $9.0 million under the $200.4 million tax line. The club is over the salary cap but under the tax.
Who will the Bulls be missing against the Bucks on October 23?
Nic Claxton is out with a hamstring injury. Josh Giddey, Zach Collins, Jordan Hawkins, Dailyn Swain and Tobe Awaka are listed as day-to-day.
