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In his first preseason game leading the Milwaukee Bucks, Taylor Jenkins experimented with numerous lineups — but one combination immediately drew attention. When Jericho Sims and Kel'el Ware shared the floor, their minutes altered the game’s tone enough that Jenkins publicly praised the pairing at his postgame media availability.
What stood out on both ends
Their shared minutes were memorable for physical presence and activity. Together the two bigs used length and mobility to control space, which translated into clear advantages on the glass. Ware finished with 12 rebounds, while Sims collected three, helping the Bucks gain an edge where they have struggled in the past.
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Offensively the pairing also provided an unusual contrast. Sims’ only scoring play came close to the rim — his typical territory — while his inside positioning often freed Ware to step out and convert. Ware knocked down two 3-pointers in the game, creating spacing that forced opposing defenses to account for threats at multiple levels.
Defense remained an even more obvious benefit. With one true seven-footer and a similarly rangy teammate able to protect the rim and chase into the perimeter, the unit presented matchup problems. That combination of size and mobility made life difficult for the Minnesota Timberwolves during those stretches.
Why Jenkins should keep testing the duo
Jenkins signaled his approval succinctly: “I liked what I saw with Kel and J-Roc on both sides of the floor just for a first showing.” The comment underlines a coach’s desire to find two-way building blocks early in his tenure.
Continuing to rotate Ware and Sims together would allow the staff to see how they perform against different lineups and offensive styles. Early preseason minutes are a low-risk setting to trial roles, defensive coverages, and spacing concepts that could translate into tangible rotations once the regular season begins.
How a five-man defensive unit could look
If the Bucks pair the Ware–Sims spine with three committed defenders, the result could be a highly disruptive five-man group. Names floated around that concept include Ryan Rollins, Kevin Porter Jr., and Kyle Kuzma — the latter still seen by some as the team’s most versatile wing defender despite a rough outing during the same game.
Rollins and Porter bring scrappy guard defense and quickness on the perimeter, while Kuzma offers length and experience switching assignments. Matched with two active bigs who can defend the rim and hedge out, the configuration could create matchup headaches for opponents.
There are still questions to answer: consistency on the offensive end, defensive communication, and how the minutes split affects chemistry. But the early indicators from one preseason showing suggest the Bucks may have found a promising two-way pairing worth further exploration.
Coaching staff and fans will watch the remainder of the preseason closely to see if the pairing can be refined into a reliable component of Milwaukee’s rotation.
