Milwaukee Bucks: 5 Key Takeaways From Summer League
By Adam McGee
Malcolm Brogdon’s Level-Headed Playmaking
Brogdon was another young Buck who delivered a lot of what was expected of him in Vegas.
Although he really struggled with his shooting (34.4 percent from the field, 16.7 percent from three) and is perhaps struggling to adjust to NBA range having left a lot of his three-point attempts a little short, Brogdon’s stroke appeared smooth.
His defense was as good as you’d expect from the NABC Defensive Player of the Year, with his matchup with Memphis Grizzlies’ first round pick Wade Baldwin IV particularly intriguing. Brogdon looked composed throughout his time on the court and was quick to offer encouragement to teammates.
Considering Milwaukee’s style of play and Giannis Antetokounmpo‘s future as the team’s primary ball-handler, Malcolm Brogdon’s time as a lead guard at Summer League certainly raised some eyebrows.
As had been gauged from his time at Virginia, Brogdon isn’t a go-to facilitator but he’s definitely serviceable. That was a sentiment that was only further enhanced by the first glimpses of the 23-year-old in a Bucks jersey.
Brogdon’s 4.4 assists per game might not leap off the page in their own right, but when compared to only 0.6 turnovers they look pretty special. An assist to turnover rate of 7.3 is remarkable and when accompanied with vision like this it could lead to an important role for him in Milwaukee’s future.
If Brogdon can put his shooting struggles from this week behind him when the NBA season proper rolls around, the big question will be if his defense can hold up against speedy and athletic NBA point guards.
Brogdon is a more natural shooting guard, but he might just have the right ingredients to play at point guard in Milwaukee’s system.
Next: Rashad Vaughn