In somewhat surprising news, the Milwaukee Bucks reportedly attended a workout recently for a player that they have some previous familiarity with.
According to Locked On Spurs host Jeff Garcia, the Brooklyn Nets, Golden State Warriors, and Bucks have all worked out veteran big man Johnny O’Bryant. O’Bryant most recently played in the NBA during the 2017-18 season, and despite being out of the game for such an extended period, teams are seemingly interested.
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If the name sounds familiar, it is because O’Bryant was a second round draft pick by the Bucks in 2014, having been taken with the 36th overall selection.
The big man would play two seasons in Milwaukee for a total of 101 games and post total averages of just three points, 2.4 rebounds, and 0.5 assists in 12.3 minutes per game. Since he did not get a large opportunity during his first stint with the Bucks, it is interesting to see the team show some level of interest once again.
Could former Milwaukee Bucks big man Johnny O’Bryant make an NBA roster before the 2021-22 season begins?
The interesting thing about O’Bryant is that while it seems like he has been out of the league for so long, he is still just 28-years-old. If granted another opportunity, he is still at an age where he could step in and contribute immediately. Of course, making it onto an NBA roster is not solely about age but production also. As evidenced by his aforementioned numbers with the Bucks, the big man never quite had the gaudiest performances.
Still, looking at the three teams that attended this workout, O’Bryant could make sense to some extent for each. For the Bucks, he would bolster their power forward position that is somewhat thin behind Giannis Antetokounmpo. It would be a low-risk move to bring in a familiar face and add some size in the process. The Bucks recently agreed to a deal with guard Tremont Waters to attend training camp, and perhaps they worked out O’Bryant with the same intention.
For the Warriors, they should also be looking to add some size. James Wiseman, their promising rookie center, suffered a torn meniscus last season and will be battling back from that this season. While O’Bryant mostly plays the four, he would give the team another sizeable body to throw out on the floor with Wiseman’s health unclear. He would hypothetically join a rotation alongside guys like Draymond Green, Kevon Looney, and Nemanja Bjelica, but he could perhaps carve out a role for himself if given the shot.
As for the Nets, they also need some size. They lost two bigger players this offseason in Jeff Green and Deandre Jordan, meaning they will need to shore up their size. If and when a matchup with the Bucks happens, the Nets will throw the biggest body possible on Antetokounmpo in an attempt to slow him down, and O’Bryant would provide them with just that. O’Bryant is far from the answer to slowing down the Greek Freak, but he would be an affordable option that could come in and help the cause right from the jump.
Only time will tell if O’Bryant gets another shot in the NBA. This news comes just days after fellow former Buck Monta Ellis had workouts with a pair of teams, and it would be great to see them both back on a team before next season begins.