Milwaukee Bucks: Midseason grades for every player on the roster

D.J. Wilson

Lastly, we land at D.J. Wilson, and unfortunately this is not a section that’s going to fill me with great joy to dive into.

Having broken out when Ilyasova was sidelined last season, demonstrating impressive defensive instincts, versatility, and a wider value that nobody would previously have believed he could offer, Wilson has sadly been unable to follow that up with an appropriate sequel season this year.

Wilson has undoubtedly been a victim of circumstance, with the additions of Robin Lopez and Dragan Bender eating into his potential minutes from the offseason. Now, Bender being swapped out for Williams likely only makes his path to minutes all the more improbable too.

The other side of that coin is that Wilson has likely been unable to build upon, or even replicate, the impression of last season behind the scenes. It’s certainly true that he hasn’t done so in game situations, where his defensive awareness hasn’t looked as razor sharp as it did last year, and his three-point shooting is currently at a putrid 24.4 percent.

There was a scenario coming into the season where Wilson could have seized a key role, and I’m sure it still exists, even if it’s now incredibly unlikely. Wilson’s advantages over his rivals for minutes were once his points of difference, but with what he’s shown in his limited run this year, his current differences when compared to his peers may not be quite so positive.

If Wilson can flip the script in the months ahead, it will only be a real bonus for the Bucks.

Grade: D

Of course, the season won’t ultimately be remembered for how Milwaukee’s players performed up until the All-Star break. The focus now switches to maintaining the standards set to this point, and improving upon them in the months ahead.