Kel'el Ware’s Milwaukee debut was the kind of opening-night jolt that can change how a front office looks at its depth chart. After an eye-catching preseason, Ware ran into serious foul trouble in his first real action for the Bucks and was gone in fewer than 14 minutes. That kind of night has a way of making a third-string center feel less like a spare part and more like an essential insurance policy.
That’s where Jericho Sims enters the picture, and why Milwaukee can feel justified for keeping him.
Before the Bucks finalized their roster by cutting Kevin Porter Jr., Sims’ name had been circulating in trade chatter. Jake Fischer of The Stein Line reported that Milwaukee and the Los Angeles Lakers had talked about a deal that would have sent Sims to LA. Nothing ever came of it, and after what Ware just showed, that looks like a win for the Bucks.
Ware isn’t going to foul out every time he plays, but the bigger point is obvious: he still has work to do before he can be trusted as the center of the future. There are going to be stretches where he picks up whistles and has to come out.
In those moments, Milwaukee would rather not wear out Myles Turner by leaning on him too heavily. Sims gives the team a much safer option to soak up those center minutes.
If Milwaukee had moved on from Sims, Pete Nance would have been next in line. Nance has shown he can help as a rotation piece, but he’s more of a traditional forward than a true full-time center.
Asking him to handle opposing centers on a regular basis would be a tough ask. Sims changes that equation.
He brings real value, even as the third big. Sims is a strong rebounder who uses his sturdy frame and explosive athleticism to clean up the glass.
He won’t stretch the floor the way Ware can, but he’s a dangerous lob target and keeps defenses honest around the rim. Quietly, he looks like one of the better third-string centers in the league.
The Lakers discussions may have offered Milwaukee a chance to collect more draft capital, but after what happened in Ware’s debut, the Bucks may be relieved they held on. If the backup center gets into foul trouble again, they have someone who can step in right away and stabilize the spot.
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For Milwaukee, the concern is not just the final score but the way the game slipped out of reach against a team on a three-game surge. Jaylen Brown and Tyrese Maxey both added to Philadelphias push, and the Bucks never really found the answers to match that level of shot-making and control. Nights like this tend to linger because they leave the same uneasy question hanging over the roster, the one fans have been bracing for as the season moves along. [Read more 🡒]