Milwaukee Bucks: Would D.J. Wilson benefit from lengthy G League assignment?
Entering his second year with the Milwaukee Bucks, it would be wise for forward D.J. Wilson to earn significant playing time with the team’s G League affiliate, the Wisconsin Herd.
More than a year into his tenure with the Milwaukee Bucks at this stage, D.J. Wilson remains an enigma for many reasons.
The 17th overall pick of the 2017 NBA Draft, Wilson’s rookie season was as limited as they come, seeing that he only notched 71 minutes of NBA action under his belt across 22 appearances. And as one could surmise from those numbers, the vast majority of Wilson’s appearances came when games were out of hand, regardless of whether it was in the Bucks’ favor or not.
As a result of that, the very few glimpses we’ve seen of Wilson getting extended action on the floor have come during the Bucks’ past two Summer League trips in Las Vegas, as well as with their recently established G League affiliate, the Wisconsin Herd.
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While in Vegas or up in Oshkosh, Wilson’s occasional flashes and present shortcomings have all been on display, leading many Bucks fans to obviously question how ready he is to perform on the NBA level.
Just this last Summer League run, Wilson put up 13.4 points on shooting splits of .413/.333/1.000, along with 6.2 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.4 steals in the Bucks’ five tilts in Vegas.
Now with his second season looming and a limited pathway to minutes with the Bucks at the 4-spot on the team’s depth chart, the likelihood of Wilson’s late game cameos extending into next season are high.
With that, there may be no better opportunity for Wilson to get significant runs of playing time than with the Herd next year on extended assignments. That last part is key, seeing that it would run counter to how Wilson was utilized with the Herd last season as many of his assignments to the Fox Valley came on one-off stints.
That was somewhat reflected in what Wilson produced with the Herd last year as he averaged 15.9 points on shooting splits of .471/.340/1.000, along with 5.6 rebounds, 3.4 turnovers and 2.4 assists in his 11 appearances.
Of course, that speaks to the bigger issue regarding the growing partnership between the Herd and the Bucks from the lens of unseasoned and two-way players seeing time on both levels, something that very well could be rectified under the new coaching regime heading into next season.
Regardless, it’s imperative for game reps to be integrated into Wilson’s development and at this point, the Herd likely offers him the best chance to do exactly that. That obviously may not be what Wilson is envisioning coming into his second season and now playing under new Bucks head coach Mike Budeholzer and his coaching staff.
But as he told Matt Velazquez of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel midway through the Bucks’ Summer League trip last month, Wilson is simply looking to show what he’s capable of, warts and all:
"“I think with the opportunity I’m going to be given, just make the most of it and run with it,” said Wilson, who has spent the bulk of his time working out in Las Vegas this summer. “This coaching staff, from what I’ve seen, they like players like myself, so once I get comfortable and acclimated with the system I think the sky’s the limit. …“I’m always motivated, whatever I do. That fire’s always been there. I’m ready to prove what I can do and showcase my abilities.”"
As was noted at length last year, it’s probably safe to assume that the Herd under head coach Jordan Brady will look to mirror the system and structure that will be implemented under Coach Bud with the Bucks, giving Wilson, the team’s two-way players and potentially others a clear identity to form their game around.
It may be premature to deem Wilson’s second season in the league this way at the quietest point in the NBA calendar and well before the start of this year’s training camp.
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At this point, however, it’s essential for Wilson to get some game action and if that avenue doesn’t present itself with the Herd, alarm bells will be ringing loud over his NBA future. That is, if they aren’t doing so already.