In news reported by ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski on Tuesday afternoon, the Milwaukee Bucks have signed former Brooklyn Nets guard Jevon Carter. After being waived by the Nets just a few days ago, Carter will join the defending champs hoping to add some insurance at the backup point guard position.
Carter is an intriguing player and there is plenty of discussion surrounding this particular signing. There are plenty of things to like about him, and here are three reasons to love the signing.
Jevon Carter will provide serviceable defense in the Milwaukee Bucks’ second unit
Carter has been inconsistent on the offensive end in his time in the NBA. One thing that he has done at a very high level consistently is play solid perimeter defense. During Carter’s college years at West Virginia, he excelled on the defensive end. In fact, Carter was named the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year in back-to-back seasons in 2017 and 2018. Furthermore, Carter was selected to four Big 12 All-Defensive Teams in his college career.
His solid defense has continued to his NBA career. According to NBA.com/stats, Carter has been an excellent defender outside on the perimeter, as opposing guards are shooting 36.9 percent from the floor and 21.6 percent from deep when being defended by him this season.
That type of defense is impressive, and it will be valuable to Milwaukee’s second unit. The backup point guard position is a position that has struggled on both ends of the floor, and a defender such as Carter will provide an immediate boost. With George Hill currently out of the rotation due to injury, Carter should be an immediate filler piece for the Bucks at the backup point guard position who will provide excellent defense on the perimeter.
There are plenty of reasons to like Carter, but his defense may be on the top of that list. After being waived by the Nets, Carter’s defense will provide an immediate impact on his new team. If Carter is looking to make a name for himself in Milwaukee, it will be by way of his defense.
Jevon Carter will immediately fill a need for the Milwaukee Bucks
As stated before, the backup point guard position has been an area of need for the Bucks. With Hill’s injury, this need has increased tenfold. Rookie Lindell Wigginton has been serviceable in his time on the court, but Carter will bring more experience to the position immediately.
Carter has seen limited run in his career, averaging only about 13 minutes per game. However, he has brought value in his time on the court. Carter has notched an average of nearly 37 percent on his 3-point attempts in his career. With a team like Milwaukee, Carter could be in a prime position to excel as a 3&D player off the bench.
His defense has already been discussed, and he is certainly a special defender, but he also provides serviceable shooting specifically from beyond the arc. Carter could also provide a 3-point shooting spark off the bench that is currently missing with the absence of Pat Connaughton. While it is tough to say that this time that Carter will make a big impact come playoff time, he will make a huge impact as the Bucks head down the home stretch after the All-Star Break.
Carter will be an important player for the Bucks off the bench at the point guard position. After looking for ways to fill in some production off the bench at the point guard position, the Bucks may have found their guy in Carter. Time will tell how impactful Carter will be, but a need has certainly been filled at this time.
Jevon Carter will bring a high level of toughness that the Milwaukee Bucks have come to expect from their players
The Milwaukee Bucks have become a team known for their toughness and grit on both sides of the court. After signing Carter, the Bucks have found another player who will fit in seamlessly with the toughness they have come to expect from their players.
Carter’s tenacity on the defensive end is what made him so successful in his college days. As he has continued into his NBA career, his toughness has not wained. The hustle that Carter has is akin to Bobby Portis and Pat Connaughton. Both Connaughton and Portis can be seen rising for rebounds, diving after loose balls, and playing tough defense. Carter fits that exact model. While Carter has limited ability in his switching, he has been incredible when playing one on one against opposing guards.
His defense against opposing guards was discussed before, and you don’t reach that type of defensive prowess without tenacity on that end. Carter will immediately be an important piece to the Bucks on both ends, and his toughness could earn him some more time on the floor as he begins his time in Milwaukee.
The Bucks have a brand of players that they like to follow. Carter will bring that toughness the Bucks have come to expect and he will be given a chance to use that toughness to make an immediate impact in Milwaukee’s quest to repeat as world champions once the playoffs begin.
All in all, there are plenty of reasons to like the singing of Jevon Carter. He will likely be most effective on the defensive end, but he has the shooting abilities that will allow him to contribute on that end as well. As the regular season winds down, Carter will have the chance to prove himself and look to earn valuable time on the court.
Time will tell just how much Carter will impact the Milwaukee Bucks, but he will be important as soon as he arrives. Stay tuned to find out when the 26-year-old may make his team debut, as it could be this Saturday when the Bucks take on Carter’s old team with the Nets coming to town.