The Milwaukee Bucks are 0-3, but the pieces they got back in the Giannis Antetokounmpo trade are already giving them something to point to.
That deal with the Miami Heat sent a haul of players and draft picks to Milwaukee, and early on, that return has looked better than expected. The Bucks may not have any wins yet, but several of the newcomers from Miami’s package have been among the team’s most reliable performers, offering at least a little proof that something real could be taking shape.
The clearest sign has been the scoring load shouldered by Tyler Herro. He has settled in as Milwaukee’s top option and is putting up 23.7 points and 5.3 assists per game, both team highs.
Jaime Jaquez Jr. has been just as striking in a different way, seizing his starting chance and averaging 20.7 points, 8.7 rebounds, and 3.7 assists. With both players set for new contracts next summer, they’ve given themselves strong early cases for bigger paydays.
The younger end of that return has helped, too. Kasparas Jakucionis has taken advantage of Kevin Porter Jr.’s dismissal and carved out a productive role as the backup point guard, averaging 11.3 points, 3.7 boards, and 1.3 assists per game. Kel'el Ware has had issues with fouls, but the production has still been there, with 12.3 rebounds and 6.7 boards per game.
For a Bucks team trying to build a new culture, that matters. These four players have already been part of the early tone-setting, and they’ve done it while handling bigger roles than expected.
Then there’s Nate Ament, the 13th pick Milwaukee got from the Heat. He entered with the reputation of being a raw project who would need time, but he’s already been pushed into the rotation early, with Taylor Jenkins giving him an extended look against the Philadelphia 76ers.
Ament is still a work in progress, but if he starts to settle in and becomes a steady contributor, the Giannis trade starts to look even stronger. Four players already appear to be important parts of the Bucks’ future, and Ament has a chance to become the fifth. Whether Jenkins keeps him in the rotation is still up in the air, though his potential makes the idea worth exploring.
There’s a long season ahead, and Milwaukee is still figuring things out. The roster has obvious flaws, but the Heat’s package has already injected some life into the Bucks’ start.
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Johnsons time in Milwaukee ended less than a year after draft night, and his departure was folded into the Bucks controversial deal that sent Khris Middleton and Johnson to Washington for Kyle Kuzma. For a fan base already uneasy about that move, Mitchells rise only adds another layer to the regret, because the player Milwaukee passed on is now looking like exactly the kind of guard the roster could use. [Read more 🡒]
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For Milwaukee, the concern goes beyond one defeat in a crowded season. A night like this can expose how hard it becomes to keep up when the offense stalls and the opponent keeps answering every push, especially against a team on a roll. The Bucks now have another example of the issue fans have been bracing for, even if the broader answer to it is still waiting to be found. [Read more 🡒]
Lakers Passed On A Dalton Knecht Deal For One Frustrating Reason
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But the talks never got to the finish line because the sides could not agree on draft-pick compensation, leaving the framework of the deal stuck in place. Rather than meet Milwaukees asking price for Sims, the Lakers opted to release Knecht instead, a reminder that even straightforward roster housekeeping can turn into a stall when one extra asset becomes the sticking point. [Read more 🡒]