Many former Milwaukee Bucks are getting another chance in the NBA

Due to the sudden increase in players to enter the health and safety protocols recently, teams across the NBA have been forced to get creative with their rosters. The answer to the massive surplus of missing players lately has been utilizing 10-day hardship exceptions to provide teams with some temporary assistance. Though the Milwaukee Bucks have not been too active on that front as the lone player they brought aboard was Javin DeLaurier, a handful of former Bucks have gotten call-ups to try and prove their place in this league once again.

Looking at former Milwaukee Bucks that are getting another shot in the NBA

A trio of former Bucks to recently get signed to teams includes Ersan Ilyasova, Brandon Knight, and Greg Monroe. These three veterans are well-remembered for their time in Milwaukee over the past decade, and after each spending time outside of the league, they are back. As the Bucks were dealing with some frontcourt issues, many clamored for the team to sign Ilysavoa for what would have been his fourth stint with the franchise. Instead, he has signed with the Chicago Bulls. Knight, who had been targeting an NBA comeback previously, got a shot with the Dallas Mavericks, and the Bucks got a good look at him in a recent matchup. Monore received his chance after signing with the Minnesota Timberwolves, who were in need of a big man. It is great to see these three on an NBA team once again. and hopefully they can contribute in some capacity, even if it is just with their experience.

A few other Bucks that recently got picked up include Justin Jackson, Justin Robinson, and Tim Frazier. Jackson still might be fresh in some minds as he was on last year’s championship roster, though he played scarcely during his brief Bucks tenure. He is now getting another shot with the Boston Celtics, who have been ravaged by the protocols. Robinson started the 2021-22 season on the Bucks as their third-string point guard, and he even saw a rather prominent opportunity early on due to injuries. The team surprisingly cut him to sign a different guard in Javonte Smart, but it did not take long for Robinson to find a new home as he is now with the Sacramento Kings. Frazier, also a point guard, played just 12 games in Milwaukee during the 2018-19 season, was recently brought in by the Orlando Magic to try and alleviate their concerns in the backcourt.

Perhaps the most notable Buck to receive a deal is D.J. Wilson, who was picked up by the Toronto Raptors. The former first round pick spent three seasons with the Bucks before being traded to the Houston Rockets in the P.J. Tucker deal last season. Wilson had been playing with the OKC Blue of the G-League recently, and some even thought the Bucks should give him a look. Instead, the Raptors pounced on the opportunity and Wilson has looked solid for them thus far.

Even the Wisconsin Herd, Milwaukee’s G-League affiliate, have been getting picked apart lately as a handful of key pieces have been called up by NBA teams. Rayjon Tucker, Wenyen Gabriel, and a slew of others are all getting the chances they have dreamed of, which is just great. Hopefully they can find some success at the next level and try to carve out a role for themselves long-term.

While a 10-day deal hardly cements their futures back in the NBA, it will be great to see an array of familiar faces back in the league.