The 2025-26 NBA season will be different for the Milwaukee Bucks. You see, three-point shooting isn’t Giannis Antetokounmpo’s strongest zone. Now, with Damian Lillard back with the Portland Trail Blazers, Doc Rivers needs to make a new blueprint. Sure, Myles Turner will add depth, but the shake-up has unsettled the core composition for now. Meanwhile, the front office has done everything it could to add shooters around the Greek Freak. Another desperate attempt at stealing a chance at the championship? Definitely.

Well, shooting more 3s sounds simple, like just firing away from deep, yet the league has chased higher volume year after year for nearly a decade. Meanwhile, defenses have grown sharper, fully aware of how much 3s fuel NBA offenses.  The Celtics (48.2), Warriors (42.4), Bulls (42), Cavaliers (41.5), and Timberwolves (39.9) led in 3-point attempts, with Boston, Minnesota, and Cleveland also topping off-the-dribble numbers.

Stars like Anthony Edwards fired 7.6 pull-ups, Jayson Tatum 7.2, Stephen Curry 6.1, Donovan Mitchell 5.5, and Dame Lillard 5.4. So while the Bucks aim to crank it up this season, the path ahead feels trickier than it looks. Milwaukee leans heavily on Dame, and matching his volume looks daunting.

Coming back to the Greek Freak, the league’s unstoppable force. He had 8 potential 3-point assists per game last season, ranking 13th, while Lillard stood fifth at 8.7 and Trae Young led with 10. Yet 72.1% of Giannis’ 11.1 potential assists went for 3s compared to Young’s 48% of 20.8. With added responsibility, Giannis can create even more—if teammates rise with him. Meanwhile, the Bucks head coach might brew up a different strategy.

The Athletic’s Eric Nehm wrote, “Rivers might not want the Bucks to shoot as many 3s as the Celtics.” With Gary Trent Jr. and AJ Green at shooting guard, plus 3-point firepower from Taurean Prince, Bobby Portis, and Myles Turner, Milwaukee holds plenty of shooting depth. The challenge is less about personnel and more about philosophy. By tweaking pace, spacing, and rhythm, the Bucks could stack small adjustments into a major leap in 3-point attempt rate.

Nehm also noted that, “losing Lillard will have a massive impact on the way in which Rivers puts together his offensive game plan.” He added, “They will be forced to create and take shots in multiple ways and lean on different playmakers to create an above-average offense and win games. They can put together a game plan that increases their 3-point volume from last season, but it will require conscious decisions and cohesive principles that the team strictly adheres to on a nightly basis.”

Damian Lillard’s 24.9 points and 7.1 assists per game set a high bar, yet Milwaukee is unlikely to demand that from any point guard besides Giannis Antetokounmpo. Still, defenses will trap Giannis and dare others to create. The Bucks’ guards must either elevate their playmaking or fire away with confidence. Only then can Horst’s vision truly come alive.

Beyond Antetokounmpo generating more 3-point attempts and guards stepping into bigger roles, the Bucks have tactical levers to pull. Subtle adjustments in pace, spacing, and offensive flow could tilt shot selection toward the arc. It will take confidence, quick decisions, and shared responsibility. If done right, Milwaukee could transform a good offense into a relentless 3-point barrage.

Now the spotlight shifts to three names who could tilt everything in the Milwaukee Bucks’ favor. These players carry the potential to flip the script for Doc Rivers and inject fresh energy into the Bucks’ push for 3-point dominance. With the right execution, they are not just role fillers but possible game-changers ready to amplify Giannis’ empire.

Three players who would be helpful for Giannis Antetokounmpo’s Milwaukee Bucks

The Bucks moved on from Dame. Bringing in Kevin Porter Jr., Cole Anthony, and Ryan Rollins reshapes the point guard rotation and could shake up their 3-point dynamics in a big way.

Kevin Porter Jr. has demonstrated his ability to hit triples at a 40.8% rate. Averaging 11.7 points per game with at least 1 made three in his time with the Bucks following the mid-season trade. His attempts fluctuate from zero to five per game, showing he is willing but not a high-volume 3-point shooter. Cole Anthony and Ryan Rollins bring a modest range, averaging 34-36% and fewer attempts. Meanwhile, Rollins is leaning more on midrange and defense.

The Bucks’ new point guard corps combines for significantly lower 3-point volume than the former All-Star, who averaged 7-9 attempts per game at a 35-38% clip. While efficiency may remain, raw attempts drop, threatening spacing and pace. Unless other players create more looks, Milwaukee moves from a high-volume, deep-shooting identity. It shifts to a balanced but less aggressive perimeter offense.

But even then, it’s not something that can be overlooked. What all three guards bring to this Bucks team isn’t about three-point shooting, particularly. Sure, that’s a bonus, but even then, it’s their youth and athleticism. Lillard would have been 36 next year, way past his prime- let alone recover from an injury like an Achilles tear.

The 2024-25 Bucks roster had an average age of 30.1 years, making it one of the league’s older teams and contributing to injury concerns during their first-round playoff exit. The 2025-26 projection represents a decrease of about 3.6 years, driven by losses of high-mileage veterans like Damian Lillard (35), Brook Lopez (37), and Khris Middleton (34).

League-wide, the Bucks would shift from the top-5 oldest to closer to average. Porter Jr.’s ability to drive and penetrate as a secondary creator helped the Bucks stabilize bench minutes, with Giannis off. It wasn’t a surprise that the Bucks thrived even if they paired Giannis’ minutes with those of Porter Jr.’s to close the games. Adding and retaining younger guards will help against teams that exploit them in the full court.

Notably, the Pacers ran the Bucks off the court, alongside hot shooting stretches. The Bucks, while maintaining their core shooters, will look to add more rim running to their offense and look to create more chances with players who can run and cut, with Giannis spearheading it.

Milwaukee enters a new era of offense, and nothing will be ordinary. With Giannis Antetokounmpo still the unstoppable engine, the Bucks must coax more threes from unexpected sources while blending new faces like Porter Jr., Anthony, and Rollins into the mix. Every decision, pass, and shot counts. If timing, spacing, and confidence click, Milwaukee could turn uncertainty into a daring spectacle. It would be a deep-shooting show that keeps the league guessing all season.