Kasparas Jakučionis has gone from being a promising rookie in Miami to a young piece Milwaukee is already trusting in the biggest moments.
That’s a lot to absorb for a 20-year-old in his second NBA season, especially after the jolt of being moved in June as part of the blockbuster trade that sent Giannis Antetokounmpo to Miami and brought Jakučionis to the Bucks. He had been the No. 20 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, and after one season with the Heat, his future suddenly belonged to a different franchise.
The adjustment wasn’t easy. During the FIBA World Cup 2027 European qualifiers, Jakučionis admitted the first day after the trade hit hard.
Donatas Urbonas of BasketNews wrote, "Yeah, the first day definitely wasn't easy," Jakučionis said. "I was thinking about it a lot, but then you realize this is a business and there's only so much you can control.
So I'm trying to focus on what I can control, which is putting in the work and becoming a better version of myself every day. I'm not trying to spend too much time thinking about everything else."
He also said he tried to view the move through a positive lens, pointing to Milwaukee’s roster makeup as a good fit.
"The first day was tough because it was the first time in my basketball career that something like this happened to me, being traded without it being my decision. But I don't think it's a bad thing. It's a young organization with a lot of young players, so I think it will be a good situation for me."
The early returns in Milwaukee have backed that up. Through six games, Jakučionis has averaged 8.3 points, 2.8 rebounds and 4 assists in 22.5 minutes per game while shooting 45.5% from the field. His 3-point shooting has dipped to 23.5%, but the broader package that made him useful in Miami has shown up again: playmaking, feel, defensive intensity and the ability to keep an offense moving.
That’s part of why he’s already earning late-game minutes. Jaime Jaquez Jr., who was his teammate in Miami and now shares a locker room with him in Milwaukee, pointed to Jakučionis’ growth and steady decision-making after the loss to the Chicago Bulls.
"He's just gotten so much better from year one to year two," Jaquez said after the loss to the Chicago Bulls. "Just sound, just always makes the right play, does the little things that you need to win games."
Head coach Taylor Jenkins has seen the same thing and has leaned into Jakučionis’ ability to help organize the offense when games tighten up. Jenkins said he likes the way Jakučionis can attack space, get into the paint and create a rhythm for Milwaukee, whether that leads to a shot, a foul or a kick-out.
"Finishing games, his ability to organize, ability to attack space and touch the paint and create kind of a rhythm for us offensively is something that I've been really excited about,” Jenkins said. "Obviously, when he gets in traffic, he's had good moments to draw fouls or kick out and then other times where it has led to a turnover. But his ability to get in the paint is something that is very exciting for us."
Jenkins also made clear that the next step is cleaner ball security. He likes Jakučionis’ downhill pressure and the way he can function both on and off the ball, but he wants fewer mistakes when the defense crowds him.
"His ability to finish the three-point shots is going to continue to come along as well. But I think with a point-of-attack offensive player that can get downhill for us, but also organize and play off the ball, is something that's intriguing when it comes to him.
He's relentless even in those critical moments we have to get downhill. We have to create two-on-ones; have trust in his ability to play make off of that, but also finish and decipher when he's got to improve when he’s getting in some turnover-prone situations too."
Jakučionis said the trust means a lot, especially with the game on the line.
"Yeah, it means a lot that I get this trust to play the last minute; it's the most important time of the game," Jakučionis said during media availability. "So, I'm just trying to do the best out there, give them all out and try to do the right thing out on the court."
Milwaukee has already shown its belief in him, too. The Bucks exercised his $4.02 million rookie scale team option for the 2027-28 season, a sign that they see him as part of what comes next. For now, he’s giving them enough to keep that faith growing.
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