3 Milwaukee Bucks players who must step up outside Giannis Antetokounmpo and Myles Turner

The Milwaukee Bucks were one of the most aggressive teams in the early stages of the NBA offseason.

Their decision to waive-and-stretch Damian Lillard's salary was a controversial one, but it also proved that they were more than willing to do whatever it took to go back to championship contention.

They know they need to make the most of Giannis Antetokounmpo's prime while he's still at the peak of his powers, and pairing him with Myles Turner gives them an elite one-two punch.

However, this is still a team sport, and they need more than two players to step up if they want to keep up with other powerhouses. Here, we'll talk about the three players who need to step up the most.

3 Bucks who need to step up next season

#3 Gary Trent Jr.

The Bucks need someone who can routinely knock down shots from beyond the arc. Spacing might be an issue with their current roster, even though Turner can certainly step up to the perimeter and shoot from three.

Trent Jr.'s contributions are mostly focused on that aspect of the game. He's coming off shooting 41.6% from three-point territory last season, but they will need him to average more than 11.1 points per game.

#2 Bobby Portis

Bobby Portis is the type of perennial Sixth Man of the Year candidate who can give them a double-double off the bench every single night of the week. He's an offensive catalyst and a never-ending source of energy off the bench.

As such, they need him to stay focused, avoid foul trouble, and be the instigator they need when the game gets a little too physical. He's great at getting under his opposition's skin, and his averages of 13.9 points and 8.4 rebounds per game are certainly helpful as well.

#1 Kyle Kuzma

The Bucks desperately need Kyle Kuzma to be their new version of Khris Middleton. He's got championship experience, and he's shown that he can play solid defense and guard multiple positions, but he hasn't been a consistent contributor to their offense since he arrived in Wisconsin.

Kuzma put up a lot of empty stats during his days with the Washington Wizards, but he now has an opportunity to play for a championship again. He could and should even be the team's second-leading scorer. Averaging just 14.8 points per game on 30.7% from three isn't good enough.