NBA: 5 Possible Surprise Teams in 2014-15

3. Milwaukee Bucks

The Milwaukee Bucks had a real Murphy’s Law season in 2013-14. Everything that could go wrong did go wrong.

For how bad the Bucks were last season, I actually really like some of their key pieces. Brandon Knight is a good backup guard. He’s not a proven starter for a good team, but he’s a good backup. Larry Sanders is a dominant rim protector when he’s locked in. John Henson has something about his game that’s likable. I can’t tell exactly what it is, but he could be a solid contributor.

O.J. Mayo might not be the answer at shooting guard, but he had a good season in Dallas prior to joining the Bucks. If he can get back to that ‘team guy’ that he was with the Mavs, there’s potential for him to be a good player. Who doesn’t love Zaza Pachulia, Nate Wolters, and Ersan Ilyasova? All three can be good role players.

I haven’t even scratched the surface with the depth this team has. Jared Dudley, Jarryd Bayless, and Kendall Marshall, all decent contributors at points of their careers, will be coming off the bench to give the Bucks second-unit an extra punch.

While all those pieces are nice, the two Bucks we’re all most excited for are Giannis Antetokounmpo and Jabari Parker. The Greek Freak is taking over at point guard this season and will be one of the most entertaining players in the league with his length and athleticism at the position.

As for Parker, he’s my pick for Rookie of the Year. Jason Kidd is going to give Parker the ball and let him carry this offense without putting too much pressure on him to succeed. At Duke, Parker liked to play off other players. With the Bucks, they have some playmakers that will be able to get Parker the ball in scoring situations. It might not be Giannis right away, but Bayless and Marshall have some experience racking up the assists in their careers.

I like Bucks. I don’t really know why, but I like the Bucks. It honestly wouldn’t surprise me if they were pretty good this season.