Taylor Jenkins has made it clear that Cormac Ryan hasn’t faded into the background.
The Milwaukee Bucks wing earned his shot last season, and he made the most of it. In 11 games, Ryan averaged 14.3 points and hit 52 percent of his shots, flashing the kind of scoring touch and pesky defense that quickly turned him into a player the Bucks wanted back. This offseason, he’s stayed in the mix and, according to Ryan, added 15 pounds to help handle the physical side of the game.
Jenkins has liked what he’s seen so far in camp and preseason, and he pointed directly to the traits that have stood out.
"Cormac, just his relentless competitiveness. I love that about him.
Everything that we're preaching, teaching, defensive side, pressure full-court, competing on the ball, staying in plays, giving multiple efforts, he's doing it. I love that about him...
For a guy in his position, competing for even more for himself individually, I think he can have a role for us this season."
That kind of praise matters, but it doesn’t erase the numbers game Ryan is facing. He’s on a two-way deal, not a standard contract, and the Bucks have a crowded guard room that makes minutes hard to come by. At the moment, he looks set to begin the season as a depth option.
Still, his path back into the rotation isn’t hard to sketch out. An injury, or a move involving a backcourt player, could crack the door open. AJ Green or Gary Trent Jr. moving on would create even more room, and if that happens, Ryan’s shooting could become valuable again.
For now, the assignment is simple: keep grinding, keep improving, and stay ready. Given the way Ryan has approached every chance he’s gotten, that part should not be an issue.
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Taylor Jenkins has some sorting out to do before the games start counting, and the supporting cast is part of that equation. The Bucks need more from the group behind the starters if they want to avoid nights where the pace tilts away from them and the overall edge disappears for long stretches, especially when opponents are getting extra possessions and turning them into easy points. [Read more 🡒]
Bucks Still Have One Huge Scoring Question To Settle
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Tyler Herro and Ryan Rollins are the names to watch in that race, and Herro appears to have the early edge because of his proven scoring ability and All-Star experience. With two preseason games still to go, there is still time for someone else to make a case, but the Bucks are entering the final stretch of exhibition play without a clean answer to one of their biggest offensive questions. [Read more 🡒]
Gary Trent Jr. Is Making The Bucks Deal Look Even Riskier
Gary Trent Jr. entered the preseason with a chance to steady the conversation around his new deal, but the early returns have only added to the unease. Through two preseason games, the Bucks wing has struggled to find rhythm, and the scrutiny around Milwaukees decision to extend him has only gotten louder as his shot has not come around.
There is still time for the Bucks to get a better read before the games start to count, with three more preseason tune-ups left on the schedule. For Trent, those outings now carry a little more weight than a normal exhibition stretch, because every clean look and every made shot will shape how this signing is viewed once the regular season arrives. [Read more 🡒]