Milwaukee Bucks: This is how each free agent signing helps the team
By Dalton Sell
Semi Ojeleye brings much-needed defense to the Milwaukee Bucks
Fans might not be entirely sold on the Bucks signing Semi Ojeleye, but his defense should help them come around sooner or later.
Many will remember him back from his recent days with the Boston Celtics because he was often tasked with guarding Giannis Antetokounmpo. As his nickname “The Man Made of Granite” suggests, the 26-year-old is a visibly strong player that can match up against players like the Greek Freak. Throwing him into the mix defensively will be a massive boost for the Bucks in any combination of lineups with Giannis, Jrue Holiday, Donte DiVincenzo, and others.
Of course, many have already given Ojeleye a bad wrap because the Bucks signed him shortly after news broke that P.J. Tucker would be heading to South Beach. While Ojeleye is by no means the perfect “Tucker replacement,” he will help try to keep their defensive excellence intact. The two are truly not comparable, but given that defense is the strongest part of his game, he should fit in easily with the Bucks under head coach Mike Budenholzer.
Offensively, Ojeleye has never been a standout player, but he has shown improvement with his outside shot over the past two seasons. Shooting 106-of-285 (37.2 percent) from 3-point range in that timeframe, the forward has taken a leap as a shooter after hitting just 68-of-214 (31.8 percent) during his first two seasons in Boston. If he can keep this recent trend consistent and continue shooting the ball well, Ojeleye will find himself on the floor consistently.
Scarcely will he ever stuff the stat sheet with otherworldly numbers, but a few triples here and there would be a welcoming boost on the offensive end. On a one-year minimum deal, there are very few things to dislike about this move.