The Bucks have a real weapon in Kasparas Jakucionis, and the danger now is simple: they can’t afford to let that shooting sit on the shelf.
The 20-year-old guard came over in the Giannis Antetokounmpo trade, and while there’s a lot to like about his game, the thing that jumps off the page is the jumper. Jakucionis is already showing he can punish defenses from deep, and that makes his second NBA season worth watching closely.
As a rookie, Jakucionis hit 66 of his 156 3-point attempts, good for 42.3 percent. The corner numbers were even more eye-opening. From the left and right corners combined, he went 29-of-50, and among players who tried at least 50 corner 3s last season, his 58 percent clip ranked second in the NBA.
That kind of efficiency doesn’t scream “small sample” so much as it screams “use this guy more.” If he gets more chances, the ceiling gets interesting fast.
Picture Jakucionis parked in one corner and AJ Green in the other, with Green fresh off a 48.7 percent mark on corner 3s. Add a strong interior threat like Jericho Sims, Jaime Jaquez Jr., or possibly All-Star Jalen Duren if a sign-and-trade gets done, and the floor starts to look crowded in all the right ways.
That setup would force defenses into tough choices. Even without Giannis in the mix, the Bucks could still lean on driving and kicking, and Jakucionis makes that much more realistic.
The problem is that there isn’t an easy lane for him right away. Even if Milwaukee moves on from a guard or two during roster cuts, the backcourt is still packed. Tyler Herro, Ryan Rollins, Kevin Porter Jr., AJ Green, Gary Trent Jr., and Brayden Burries are all in the mix.
Nobody is arguing for minutes he hasn’t earned. But after the Bucks shifted toward youth this summer, letting one of the roster’s most promising players collect dust would be a waste.
If Milwaukee handles this the right way, Burries and Jakucionis could end up as the backcourt of the future. It starts with giving that growth a real chance.
In Other News...
Draymond Green Just Turned Bucks Anxiety Into A Bigger Debate
Draymond Green has a way of turning one teams uncomfortable week into a league-wide conversation, and the Bucks found themselves in that spot after he weighed in on two separate podcast episodes. One topic was Tyler Herros photoshoot tribute to T.J. Ford, which Green criticized, and the other was the NBAs investigation into Milwaukee over possible salary cap circumvention involving Gary Trent Jr. Together, the remarks added another layer of scrutiny to a franchise already drawing attention for reasons it would rather keep quiet.
Green also spent time talking through what the league could do if the Bucks are found guilty, raising the stakes around a probe that is still hanging over the organization. His comments quickly became a point of debate for fans and former players alike, with the photoshoot criticism and the investigation both feeding a broader argument about how Milwaukee is being viewed right now. For a team trying to stay focused on basketball, the noise around it does not seem likely to fade soon. [Read more 🡒]
Bucks Suddenly Have A Real Shot In Jalen Duren Drama
Jalen Durens contract situation in Detroit has become one of the more intriguing items on the NBA radar, and the Bucks are among the teams watching closely. The Pistons put a massive offer on the table, but Duren declined it, and theres now a looming deadline tied to a qualifying offer that could shape his next move. What made the whole thing even more notable was the inclusion of a weight clause in Detroits proposal, a detail that reportedly caught Duren and his camp off guard.
For Milwaukee, the appeal is obvious. The Bucks have shown interest, and any real opening around a young center with upside is worth monitoring, especially when the players current team is dealing with internal debate about his value. Whether Detroit can repair the relationship, or whether Duren decides his best path lies elsewhere, should come into focus soon, and the Bucks will be waiting to see how much of a shot this really becomes. [Read more 🡒]
Bucks Are Treating Taylor Jenkins Like Far More Than A New Coach
The Bucks did not just swap out a coach this offseason, they made a point of signaling a broader change in tone. Taylor Jenkins arrived on a long-term deal after Milwaukee moved on from Doc Rivers, and the early messaging around him has been as much about setting a standard as it has been about drawing up plays. Co-owner Wes Edens offered pointed backing for Jenkins, leaning on the success he had in Memphis and framing the hire as a serious investment in where the franchise is headed.
At media day, the emphasis around Jenkins kept coming back to accountability and growth, the kind of language teams usually use when they want to show a clean break from the previous chapter. For Milwaukee, the appeal seems to be bigger than a fresh voice on the sideline. Jenkins is being positioned as someone who can shape the day-to-day culture, steady the locker room and push the group toward a higher level, which makes his first season here feel like more than a standard coaching change. [Read more 🡒]