Taylor Jenkins didn’t wait around for the league’s doubts to catch up to Milwaukee Bucks rookie Nate Ament. With Ousmane Dieng struggling out of the gate, Jenkins moved quickly and gave Ament a real shot, and the early signs have been encouraging.
The biggest swing factor now is the jumper. Ament’s shot has been the one obvious question, and the numbers back that up: he’s 4-of-14 on jump shots this season, including three makes on five attempts above the break.
The corners have been rough - 1-of-4 from each side - and the mid-range has been even tougher, with Ament missing all five of those looks. If that part of his game starts to come around, his scoring output could climb fast from the 7.5 points per game he’s putting up now.
The first step is simply cashing in on open looks. Ament has missed all six of his shots classified as open, meaning he had four to six feet of space.
That’s the kind of shot he should keep getting, especially with passers like Jaime Jaquez Jr. and the rising Kasparas Jakucionis feeding him. The looks are going to be there.
He just has to convert them more often.
Even without the jumper cooperating, Ament has already forced his way into Milwaukee’s plans. He has effectively pushed Ousmane Dieng out of the rotation, and that alone says plenty about how quickly he’s earned trust.
The early production has been solid across the board. In four games, Ament is averaging 7.5 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 0.5 assists while shooting 45.8 percent from the field. For a rookie many expected not to crack the rotation at all this season, that’s a strong start.
He’s also held up on defense better than plenty expected. Ament came into the league with questions about his thin frame, but so far he’s answered them well enough.
Opposing players are shooting 9-of-29, or 31 percent, with Ament as the primary defender through his first four games. It’s not a perfect stat, but it does point to a rookie making life uncomfortable for the guy across from him.
His best showing so far came in Milwaukee’s last game, even in a loss to Cleveland. Ament was one of the few bright spots in the blowout, finishing with 14 points on 6-of-8 shooting and knocking down two of his three threes. Most of his damage came at the rim, which fits the way he’s been attacking so far.
Four games in, the Bucks may already have something special. If the mid-range and corner jumpers start falling, the ceiling gets a lot higher.
In Other News...
Bucks May Have A Simple Rotation Fix For Ryan Rollins
Ryan Rollins early-season dip in scoring and shooting efficiency has become one of the quieter concerns around Milwaukee, especially after the way he flashed last year. The Bucks have been searching for the right mix around him, and one possible answer is hiding in plain sight: more minutes alongside Kasparas Jakucionis, whose passing has already become a meaningful part of the offense.
The pairing has not been used much, but the numbers from their shared stretches have been encouraging enough to suggest there may be a simple rotation tweak available. If Milwaukee wants to get Rollins back into a better rhythm, leaning into that combination could be a practical next step, even if the sample size is still small. [Read more 🡒]
Bucks Showed The Same Alarming Problem In Cleveland Again
The Bucks ran into the same kind of trouble in Cleveland that has been hard to shake at times this season, getting overwhelmed in a 136-111 loss as the Cavaliers found rhythm almost from the start. Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen helped drive a strong offensive night for Cleveland, and Milwaukee never really settled in defensively, leaving too many clean looks and too much space for the home team to control the game.
Even in a lopsided result, there were a couple of bright spots for Milwaukee off the bench. Rookies Brayden Burries and Nate Ament both turned in career-high scoring nights, a small silver lining on a frustrating evening, but the bigger concern remains the same: the Bucks continue to show the kind of defensive issues that can turn a competitive matchup into a runaway. [Read more 🡒]
Bucks Now Face A Bigger Ryan Rollins Problem Than Expected
The Bucks moved on from Kevin Porter Jr. hoping the backcourt would settle into a cleaner, more productive shape, but the early returns have only sharpened the questions around Ryan Rollins. After a promising stretch last season, Rollins has not matched that level of efficiency or all-around impact this year, leaving Milwaukee to sort through a guard rotation that was supposed to become simpler, not more complicated.
One possible answer is to pair Rollins with Kasparas Jakucionis, whose natural playmaking could help ease some of the burden on the ball. Even so, the Bucks are now weighing what Rollins can realistically be for them going forward, and his current play could factor into both his role and the teams thinking on his contract. The Porter decision still looks sound in Milwaukees view, but the bigger issue may be whether Rollins can become the guard the Bucks expected. [Read more 🡒]