While Tyler Herro and Jaime Jaquez Jr. have grabbed most of the attention since the Milwaukee Bucks’ season opened, they’ve had plenty of help from two other former Miami Heat players. Kasparas Jakucionis and Kel’el Ware have quietly given Milwaukee’s bench a real boost, and their early work together is becoming a bright spot for the second unit.
Jakucionis has been especially sharp as a creator. The guard is averaging 3.8 assists per game through four games, and his 15 assists off the bench are tied for the fourth-most in the NBA. Milwaukee has clearly given him room to operate, and he’s taking advantage of it by finding teammates and keeping the offense moving.
Ware has been just as useful, even if his production has come in a different form. He has scored 53 points off the bench, which puts him in the top five in the league in second-unit scoring and just one point behind former Bucks center Brook Lopez. His 3-point shot has not fallen yet - he’s 25 percent from deep - but he has still fit well in Taylor Jenkins’ system.
The connection between the two has been the real story. When Jakucionis is the one delivering the pass, Ware is 5-of-7 on 2-point attempts. Jakucionis’ feel and Ware’s ability to finish around the rim make them a natural fit in pick-and-roll action, giving the Bucks something they can lean on with their reserves.
That partnership still has plenty of room to grow, and age is part of the appeal. Jakucionis is 20, Ware is 22, and Jenkins has the kind of coach who can keep shaping their development. Getting them on the floor together as often as possible looks like a smart place to start, especially with the way they already seem to bring out the best in each other.
The next step is straightforward: keep building on what’s working near the basket and clean up the fouls. Jakucionis and Ware are already first and tied for second on the team in total fouls with 15 and 14, and that has cut into their minutes at times. If they can stay on the court more often, Milwaukee may have an even more dangerous bench duo on its hands.
In Other News...
Nate Ament Is Getting A Bucks Chance Others Never Did
Nate Ament has already been handed something a lot of recent Bucks draft picks never really got: real minutes, real runway, and a chance to show what he can do before the league has made up its mind. Milwaukee coach Taylor Jenkins has leaned into that early, and Ament responded with a promising showing against the Indiana Pacers, giving the Bucks a look at a young player who seems to fit a more developmental approach than the one that has defined stretches of the roster in recent years.
For a team that has often watched homegrown talent come and go without much of a role in between, Aments opportunity stands out. The Bucks appear to be signaling a different kind of future, one that includes more patience with younger players and a willingness to let them grow on the floor instead of in the background. Ament is still early in that process, but the fact that he is getting this kind of chance at all says plenty about where Milwaukee may be headed. [Read more 🡒]
Bucks Already Have A Center Problem They Cant Ignore
The Bucks center spot is already becoming one of those early-season storylines that can linger if it is not addressed quickly. Milwaukee was reportedly on the receiving end of trade interest from the Warriors on Kristaps Porzingis, but the team showed no appetite to move in that direction, leaving the conversation to circle back to what the Bucks have in-house and how they want to shape the position moving forward.
Myles Turners slow start has only sharpened the focus on the issue, especially with his trade value being weighed against Milwaukees longer-term needs. Kel'el Ware has surfaced as a possible replacement in the discussion, but there has been no official move to change the roster, which means the Bucks are still stuck with a question that is getting harder to ignore. [Read more 🡒]
Kyle Kuzmas Surge Just Created A Bucks Trade Deadline Dilemma
Kyle Kuzmas early stretch with Milwaukee has given the Bucks something they probably did not expect this soon: a real decision to make as the trade deadline draws closer. Over his past three games, Kuzma has looked far more comfortable, producing efficiently and filling the box score in a way that fits a team trying to stay competitive in the Eastern Conference. For a Bucks roster that has been searching for reliable support pieces, that kind of uptick only sharpens the conversation around what Kuzma can be for them over the long haul.
The complication is simple enough. Kuzma is on an expiring contract, which means his improved play could raise his value just as Milwaukee begins weighing whether to keep him or move him for help elsewhere. A contender such as the Golden State Warriors could make sense as a theoretical landing spot, but that kind of scenario depends on Kuzma sustaining this level and the Bucks deciding his fit is more useful as an asset than as a rotation piece. For now, his surge has made him one of the more interesting names on Milwaukees deadline board. [Read more 🡒]