First reported by The Athletic’s Shams Charania, the Milwaukee Bucks have picked up Donte DiVincenzo’s fourth-year option for the 2021-22 season.
Just hours before their season opener against the Boston Celtics, the Milwaukee Bucks find themselves in the headlines involving their promising young guard.
According to The Athletic’s Shams Charania, the Bucks have picked up Donte DiVincenzo’s fourth-year team option for the 2021-22 season worth $4.7 million. Since being selected 17th overall in the 2018 NBA Draft, the Bucks have raved about what the Villanova product has brought to the table, and now, they have assured that he will stick around with this decision that was simply a formality.
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Throughout the first two seasons of his career, DiVincenzo has played in just 93 regular season games, having missed a significant portion of his rookie season due to a heel injury. In that two-year span, the guard averaged 8.0 points on a .445/.318/.735 slash line, 4.1 rebounds, 2.0 assists, and 1.1 steals per game.
DiVincenzo has been a solid rotational player off the bench for Milwaukee throughout the first two seasons of his career, but now, he will receive a new opportunity.
The 23-year-old will kick off his third season with the Bucks tonight, and he will see a far more prominent role in his last two. The departure of Wesley Matthews in free agency opened the door at the starting shooting guard spot, and DiVincenzo has claimed it to be his own.
Although Milwaukee’s roster is stocked with talented pieces all around, DiVincenzo will be a crucial factor in their success this season. His defensive prowess on the wing was a substantial boost for the team last season as he led the team with 1.3 steals per game. Offensively, the guard has committed to becoming a better floor spacer, and time will tell if it pays off this season.
The major concern with Donte has been his consistency, something he lacked in Milwaukee’s close to the 2019-20 season just several months ago.
Following his untimely flameout in the NBA’s restart this past summer and other events that soon followed, Donte DiVincenzo has no shortage of motivation to redeem himself.
The major concern with DiVincenzo has been his consistency, something he lacked in Milwaukee’s close to the 2019-20 season just several months ago.
DiVincenzo’s poor showing during Milwaukee’s seeding games and short-lived postseason run was likely enough motivation in its own for the guard heading into this season, but it did not stop there. Of course, the guard was reportedly involved in the sign-and-trade that centered around bringing Bogdan Bogdanovic to Milwaukee and sending Donte DiVincenzo to Sacramento this offseason.
But, it is common knowledge by now that the trade failed due to tampering violations, which recently cost the Bucks a future second round pick. While these circumstances could have undoubtedly caused some tension, DiVincenzo is willing to let bygones be bygones and embrace his new role heading into his third season with a chip on his shoulder.
Speaking at his media day appearance earlier this month, DiVincenzo already stated that he was motivated to get back on the court, and the team picking up his fourth-year option should only bolster that confidence further.
With DiVincenzo is poised to have a special year for the Milwaukee Bucks, we’ll just have to see what’s in store for the Big Ragu going his third NBA season.