Milwaukee Bucks
1 Concerning trend: The rumors swirling around Giannis Antetokounmpo
The Milwaukee Bucks are in a bad place. They've gotten off to a rough start and it's unclear how the team is going to climb their way out of this early-season hole. Aside from Giannis Antetokounmpo, there's been very few promising signs for the team. While productive, even Damian Lillard has struggled with his overall offensive game. I'm not sure how the Bucks can fix this but it's becoming quite clear that head coach Doc Rivers may not have the answers. If that is indeed the case, you can't blame the recent rumors that have been swirling around Giannis.
I'm not sure if I totally buy the idea that Giannis is going to force his way out of Milwaukee but there's a chance he could end up applying the pressure on the front office to do something. The Bucks have the feel of an aging champion who has seen his own blood and didn't have a plan for when they got punched in the mouth. In fact, the argument can be made that the Bucks have been in this position for the better part of the last two seasons. What's next for the Bucks? At this point, who knows?
Minnesota Timberwolves
1 Concerning trend: Mike Conley's rough start
Considering the Minnesota Timberwolves have been working through the addition of Julius Randle and the departure of Karl-Anthony Towns, they've done a pretty good job at the start of the regular season. However, if there is one concerning trend that has begun developing for the Wolves to begin the year, it's that Mike Conley's drop in production has hit another level this season. Through the first few games of the season, Conley is posting career lows across the board. At this point, the proof might be in the pudding. At 37 years old, Conley may not have much to offer the Wolves.
If they had more depth in the backcourt, he probably would be coming off the bench this season. At least for now, he remains to be the starter for the team but it wouldn't be all that surprising if the team explored other options heading into the NBA Trade Deadline. They may not have much wiggle room to acquire a player via trade but it certainly has to be an option if the Wolves view themselves as a championship contender in the Western Conference.