It's a fair assumption to that say heading into this year's NBA season, the Milwaukee Bucks' expectations were near the bottom. Once the Bucks traded away their superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo to the Miami Heat, they accepted a package that many people thought was underwhelming.

There wasn't much proven star power heading to Milwaukee, and no clear direction for the team even with the pieces it had just acquired. On paper, it looked like the Bucks were going to struggle this season, especially on the offensive end, but that hasn't been a problem for them.

Through three games, Milwaukee has found itself at the top of some of the major offensive stats. The Bucks currently rank No. 8 in points per game, and No. 9 in 3-point percentage. Tyler Herro is a top 20 scorer in the league, averaging 23.7 points per game on 45.8% shooting from the field and 41.7% from the 3-point line.

Jaime Jaquez Jr. came off the bench for the Heat and was a Sixth Man of the Year candidate in Miami, but has blossomed in a larger role for Milwaukee as he's averaging 20.7 points per game while shooting 61.1% from the field and 55.6% from the 3-point line. The Bucks have four other players in double-digits, and have not had a problem scoring the ball. So why have they started the season 0-3 with a solid offense?

On top of missed free throws and turnovers, one of Milwaukee's main problems comes on the other end of the court with its defense. The Bucks have given up the most points per game (129.0) and have gone through spurts where if the offense slows down, there's no response on the defensive end of the court.

"Second and third quarter, you give up 85 points: transition D, can't keep guys in front of us, rotations, 62 points in the paint. Teams are averaging almost 70 points in the paint. So our defense is impacting us," head coach Taylor Jenkins said in the post game press conference against the Chicago Bulls. "We’ve got to commit on the defensive side, with our ability to tag up offensively, not leave them. So, just got to do a better job earlier in possessions. So I thought that hurt us."

It's the same issues every game. The Bucks start the game off well and put themselves in a position to win, but collapse at times in the game, allowing the opposing team to take over. Milwaukee has players who can step up on offense, but not the same for defense. If the Bucks want to turn this around quickly with a tough road ahead of them, then someone has to carve out a role on the defensive end.

Possible Canidates

Outside of the Antetokounmpo trade, Milwaukee's offseason was centered around the overpriced contract with Gary Trent Jr. Trent signed a four-year, $64 million contract that was so unexpected that the NBA has been investigating it since July. What's made this deal age more like milk is that Trent hasn't played one minute in any of the first three regular-season games.

He struggled in the preseason only shooting 3-for-17 (17.6%) from the field and 3-for-13 (23.1%) from the 3-point line, but if you're giving someone $16 million a year, then the expectation is that he would see the floor at least once in the games.

I think Trent could be used in a defensive role for the Bucks as they're struggling on defense, and find a way to get him on the floor. He might not be an lockdown defender, but just to have someone who's willing to take that role could be potentially make an impact on that end of the floor.

Another option is the rookie Nate Ament. Ament made his official debut against the Philadelphia 76ers on Saturday, and only played 11 minutes in the 127-116 loss where he recorded one point, five rebounds and one steal.

He struggled to shoot the ball going 0-for-3 from the field, and got in foul trouble, committing three fouls in the first quarter. He didn't play in the first two games, even though he was available after suffering an ankle sprain in the preseason, but is still looking to get his rhythm back in a game setting.

As Ament continues to get his legs back, focusing his effort on the defensive end could benefit both him and the team. The Bucks need answers to improve their defense, and whether that's Trent, Ament, or someone else, something has to change if they want to turn this season around early.