Now that the dust has settled on Milwaukee’s wild stretch of free agency, the Bucks still have one of the more awkward roster questions in front of them: what exactly do they do with AJ Green?
The front office has already reshaped the guard room in a major way. Milwaukee brought in Caris LeVert and then made the eye-catching move to sign Gary Trent Jr. to a four-year, $64 million deal. Add that to the current group of Ryan Rollins, Tyler Herro, Kevin Porter Jr, Gary Trent Jr., Caris LeVert, Brayden Burries, Kasparas Jakucionis, and Green, and the backcourt picture gets crowded in a hurry.
That’s where Green becomes such a tricky case. He went undrafted, carved out a real NBA career anyway, and has turned himself into one of the Bucks’ better success stories.
In 242 games, he has averaged 7.3 points, 2.0 rebounds, and 1.3 assists while shooting 42.0 percent from deep. He’s now on a four-year, $45 million extension, and the appeal is obvious: he spaces the floor, he hits shots, and he gives you dependable, hard-nosed defense.
That kind of player usually matters. In Green’s case, it may also make him the most movable veteran on the roster.
Milwaukee is operating on a different timeline now. The team is no longer built around the immediate title chase that defined the last five years.
Instead, the focus appears to be shifting toward a future that could eventually be led by names like Jakucionis, Ware, and Burries. Green, at 26 years old, is a useful win-now piece, but he doesn’t line up as neatly with that younger, upside-driven direction.
The problem is simple: there may not be enough room for him. If the rotation gets jammed up by higher-usage players and developmental projects, Green’s minutes could shrink in a way that helps nobody. He’s too good to sit around as a luxury, but the Bucks are trying to clear space and collect assets, not keep capable veterans parked on the bench.
That leaves Jon Horst with a decision that may come sooner rather than later. He can hold onto a steady, proven shooter in a chaotic rotation, or he can turn Green’s value into something that better fits the rebuild. A draft pick or a prospect would make sense, and the source of that value is obvious: Green is a knockdown shooter with strong defense, a reasonable contract, and a profile that should still draw interest around the league.
It would be a tough move, especially for a homegrown player who earned his extension. But in the blunt arithmetic of a rebuild, that kind of sentiment doesn’t carry much weight. Green looks like the easiest veteran to move, and that reality may force Milwaukee’s hand.
In Other News...
Bucks Fans May Be Rethinking The Nate Ament Draft Debate
Nate Aments first Summer League run has given Bucks fans enough to squint at the draft board a little differently, especially with Chicagos Dailyn Swain in the same neighborhood of the first round. Ament, taken 13th overall by Milwaukee, has shown some early signs of touch and comfort, while Swain, selected two spots later by the Bulls, has been trying to find a rhythm in a much rougher opening stretch.
It is still far too early to make anything definitive out of a few summer games, and both players are clearly in the earliest stage of their pro careers. Even so, the contrast has been hard to miss for anyone tracking how the Bucks choice stacks up against the rest of the draft, and the next step for Ament will be proving that the encouraging flashes are part of something real rather than just a brief summer snapshot. [Read more 🡒]
Marc Stein Just Dropped A Mavs Relevant Twist In The West
The Bucks are still working the edges of their roster puzzle, and one name now in the mix is Peyton Watson. According to Marc Stein, Milwaukee has joined the Clippers and Hawks in showing sign-and-trade interest in the Nuggets restricted free agent, a sign the Bucks are at least exploring ways to add another young wing while keeping their books flexible enough to make the numbers work.
Milwaukee does have the kind of cap room that could get Watson close to the salary he is seeking, but only if it clears space by moving players such as Kyle Kuzma, Caris LeVert or A.J. Green. The bigger question is whether Denver is willing to engage at all, since the Nuggets are believed to be looking for a significant return, which is why this one figures to stay fluid until the market sorts itself out. [Read more 🡒]
Bucks Just Made A Signing Fans Are Already Debating
Gary Trents new deal with Milwaukee has already become one of the summers most talked-about moves, and not just because the Bucks added another wing to the rotation. The contract has drawn immediate attention around the league, with NBA insider Marc Stein reporting that the reaction has been far more surprised than celebratory, a sign that front offices are still trying to make sense of how this signing came together.
The skepticism is easy to understand when you look at Trents recent production, since he averaged 8.1 points per game last season while shooting 38.7% from the floor. Even so, the Bucks clearly saw enough to make a major commitment, and the real question now is whether Milwaukee believes it found value where others saw risk, or whether this will quickly become one of those moves every contender gets asked about all season. [Read more 🡒]