Jaime Jaquez Jr. arrives in Milwaukee with a comparison that carries real weight. Even before he suits up for the Bucks, the chatter has already linked him to Khris Middleton, and it’s not hard to see why. The connection starts with the way both players operate inside the arc, where a smooth mid-range game can bend a defense and settle an offense.
That part of Jaquez’s game took a noticeable jump last season. He knocked down 35 of 67 mid-range attempts, good for 52.2 percent.
Among players who took at least 60 mid-range jumpers, that placed him sixth in the NBA in efficiency, behind names like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and T.J. McConnell.
It’s a meaningful step forward for a player who was below 40 percent from that area in each of his first two seasons.
For Milwaukee, that kind of growth matters. Middleton made a living on those pull-ups during his Bucks run, and when the offense needed a shot, that was often the one that bailed them out. Jaquez isn’t there yet, not by a long shot, but the shape of the skill set is familiar enough to keep the comparison alive.
He may never be a great three-point shooter, and in this setup he may not need to be. With so much perimeter talent around him, Jaquez should have more room to work in the middle of the floor, where he can use the mid-range and get to the rim without defenses loading up on him.
That’s where the fit gets interesting. The Bucks appear to be betting that his game can play up in a different role, and the mid-range improvement gives that idea some real substance.
There’s still plenty of ground left to cover. Nobody is pretending Jaquez and Middleton are the same player, and the gap between “promising” and “franchise-level” is huge. But through two seasons, Jaquez has shown enough flashes - the passing touch, the slower defensive foot speed, and now the rising mid-range production - to make the Middleton comparison feel more than superficial.
Milwaukee has spent the last year and a half searching for a real answer at small forward. If Jaquez can grow into the kind of player the Bucks need, the fit could be exactly what they’ve been looking for. For now, the path is simple: embrace the bigger role, and keep trusting that mid-range shot when it’s there.
In Other News...
Bucks Fans Already Have An Awkward Jaime Jaquez Jr. Debate
Jaime Jaquez Jr.s arrival in Milwaukee has already produced an off-court wrinkle that Bucks fans are still trying to make sense of. The recently traded wing reportedly was asked to leave a Milwaukee restaurant after bringing his 90-pound dog, Percy, inside, and a viral video quickly turned the scene into a social media talking point. From the looks of it, the establishment was not dog-friendly, which only added to the confusion around a situation that had nothing to do with basketball.
The reaction online has been split, with some fans siding with the restaurant and others more amused than bothered by the whole episode. For Milwaukee, it is a reminder that a players first days in a new city can come with more attention than anyone expects, especially when a big dog and a crowded dining room are involved. [Read more 🡒]
Bucks Just Opened A New Backcourt Chance Fans Should Watch
Mark Sears path through the Bucks system took another turn this week, as the G League rights to the rookie guard were moved from the Wisconsin Herd to the Rip City Remix in a five-team trade. Sears had spent his first pro season with Milwaukees affiliate, and he also got a brief look with the Bucks themselves before being waived, making him one of the more familiar developmental names in the organizations backcourt picture.
For the Herd, the deal brings Cameron Parker and a first-round pick in the G League draft, giving Wisconsin another chance to reshape its guard rotation and add future flexibility. For Milwaukee fans, the bigger takeaway is the backcourt opening the move creates around the edges of the system, especially with Sears no longer tied to the Bucks developmental pipeline in the same way. [Read more 🡒]
Giannis Trade May Have Finally Fixed The Bucks Biggest Problem
The Bucks spent years paying for the kind of aggressive all-in moves that come with a title chase, and the cost showed up most clearly in the draft cupboard. Deals for players like Jrue Holiday and Damian Lillard left Milwaukee light on its own future first-rounders, which made it harder to keep one eye on the present and another on what comes next. In a franchise built around Giannis Antetokounmpo, that kind of asset drain was always going to matter eventually.
Now Milwaukee has three unprotected first-round picks from Miami in the Giannis trade, with selections coming in 2026, 2031 and 2033. The appeal is obvious: even as Antetokounmpo's career arc moves forward, those picks could carry real long-term value if the Heat's roster construction goes sideways. For a Bucks team that had been boxed in by its own win-now choices, the return may have finally given the front office a way to think beyond the immediate chase. [Read more 🡒]