Should the Milwaukee Bucks start Kel’el Ware at center? Before the preseason started, I thought there was a good argument for Milwaukee beginning the year with Myles Turner at center.

Turner is the veteran; he's established, and if the Bucks are eventually looking to move him, letting him start and play well could only help his trade value. Then, maybe a month into the season, you make the switch and give Ware the job.

I'm already starting to change my mind and the season hasn’t even started yet.

Ware made his Bucks preseason debut and finished with 14 points, 12 rebounds, one block and one steal in 24 minutes while shooting 5-of-11 from the field. I'm not going to pretend one preseason game suddenly answers every question about him, because it doesn't, but it did make me wonder what Milwaukee is really waiting for.

This season should be about finding out which young players can become part of the Bucks' next core, and Ware might have as much upside as anyone on this roster.

Ware Should Be One of Milwaukee's Priorities

The Bucks are in a rebuild, and they should prioritize playing their best young players over veterans.

If that’s the case, there should be more patience with young players, but it should also mean giving them real opportunities instead of making them wait behind veterans simply because that's how NBA rotations usually work.

Ware is entering his third season, and there isn't much mystery surrounding his physical ability. He's 7 feet tall, moves well for his size, can finish around the basket, rebound, protect the rim, and has enough offensive skill that you can imagine his game eventually expanding even further.

The question has always been whether all of those tools can consistently turn into production. The other question is about his motor and willingness to play with passion night in and night out.

His First Preseason Game Only Made the Decision More Interesting

What stood out to me about Ware's preseason debut wasn't necessarily the 14 points. It was everything else he gave Milwaukee while scoring them.

Twelve rebounds in 24 minutes is exactly what you want to see from him, especially because consistency and physicality have been part of the conversation surrounding Ware since he entered the league. Again, it's preseason. I'm not ready to make a massive declaration based on 24 minutes in an exhibition game.

If Ware is already giving Milwaukee this type of production, why spend the beginning of the season limiting his role just because Turner is the more established player?

I'd rather see what Ware looks like playing 30 minutes against starting centers, facing tougher matchups, and being forced to work through his mistakes. There will be ugly stretches because that's what happens with young players, but Milwaukee is in a position to live with those moments.

I've Changed My Mind About Waiting

My original thought was that starting Turner made sense because the Bucks could showcase him early, potentially build up his trade value, and then hand the starting job to Ware once the season settled in.

I still understand the logic behind that, and I wouldn't be surprised if Milwaukee does exactly that. I'm just not convinced anymore that it's the best approach to start the year.

Turner doesn't suddenly become useless if he comes off the bench. He can still play significant minutes, close games when the matchup calls for it and have plenty of opportunities to show other teams what he can do. Milwaukee can even experiment with Turner and Ware together at times if it wants to get creative.

What I don't want to see is Ware stuck playing 18 or 20 minutes because the Bucks feel obligated to give the veteran the bigger role.

The Bucks Already Know What Turner Is

Milwaukee doesn't need this season to figure out Myles Turner. He's been in the NBA for more than a decade, and everybody knows what he brings to a team. Ware is the unknown, and that's what makes him more interesting.

Could he become Milwaukee's starting center for the next five or six years? Can his offensive game grow enough that you eventually run actions for him instead of viewing him strictly as a finisher?=

The worst thing Milwaukee can do this season is spend too much time worrying about what its young players aren't ready for instead of giving them opportunities to become ready. Ware is going to make mistakes; he's going to have games where he disappears, and there will probably be nights when Turner is clearly the better option.