Milwaukee Bucks: Initial thoughts on signing Justin Robinson to two-way

It appears that the Milwaukee Bucks have put the finishing touch on their roster following a move on Sunday.

First reported by The Athletic’s Shams Charania, the Bucks will be signing guard Justin Robinson with their second two-way opening. Many had been speculating whether or not the Bucks would fill that slot or if they would potentially keep their options open heading into the new season, but that question has now been answered.

Upon first hearing the news, many fans were not sure what to make of it, largely because they are unfamiliar with Robinson. Understandably so as the 23-year-old has appeared in just 18 games in the past two seasons with the Washington Wizards. In that timeframe, Robinson has averaged a mere 1.9 points on subpar 364/.368/.600 shooting splits, 0.7 rebounds, and 0.9 assists in just 7.6 minutes per contest. Numbers like that certainly do not jump off the page, and fans will not make too much of the move, perhaps drawing more questions than answers on first impact.

How will Justin Robinson fit with the 2021-22 Milwaukee Bucks after signing a two-way deal?

Immediately, Robinson will give the Bucks another point guard to bolster the rotation behind two reliable players in Jrue Holiday and George Hill. What makes this signing more interesting is that the team recently just signed Tremont Waters to a training camp deal, who is yet another point guard. Perhaps bringing in Robinson will spark some competition in camp in the backcourt with a pair of young players looking to carve out a role on an NBA roster. Robinson’s contract being a two-way will give him the upper hand in that regard, but the point still stands.

While Robinson has not shined during his two NBA seasons, he was a solid player during his four years at Virginia Tech in college. In that span, Robinson started in 105 out of 125 appearances and averaged 11.1 points on .445/.487/.773 shooting splits, 2.7 rebounds, 4.5 assists, and a steal in 28.6 minutes per game. He was a quality player at the collegiate level, and although he has not yet managed to translate it to any NBA level, Robinson is still a rather young player that has the time to develop.

Playing with the reigning champions should help get him some good reps to try and take that next step in his game. Learning from two savvy floor generals like Holiday and Hill is a dream scenario for any young player, and Robinson will have the privilege to learn behind them. He likely will not see many meaningful minutes with the Bucks during the 2021-22 season, but that experience could be pivotal for a player like him nevertheless.

Overall, there is not too much to make of this move on the surface. Robinson will likely not see a key role in the rotation, instead playing most of his minutes in the G-League. This is not a move that tips the needle for the reigning champs by any means, but who knows how things will pan out as the season progresses.

For now, welcome to Milwaukee, Justin!