After making the two guard a restricted free agent prior to the start of 2023 NBA Free Agency, the Milwaukee Bucks have made a decision on AJ Green.
According to The Athletic NBA insider Shams Charania, the Bucks have re-signed Green to a new multi-year deal that is only guaranteed in year one.
Milwaukee Bucks re-sign sharpshooter AJ Green: Reaction and Analysis
This was a no-brainer for the Milwaukee Bucks. Although Green didn’t play much during his rookie year in 2022-23, the undrafted guard showed signs of untapped potential. He was one of the best shooters on the entire team, having shot an impressive 41.9 percent from three. Outside shooting is becoming more important by the hour in today’s NBA, so locking up a marksman like Green on a new deal that is projected to be team-friendly is a massive win.
After playing just 345 minutes total last season, Green should see an increased role in year two in Milwaukee. Coach Adrian Griffin has a well-documented past with player development, and he will almost undoubtedly look to get the younger guys, including Green, more involved next season.
The 23-year-old has the skill set to follow in the footsteps of previous Bucks like Kyle Korver or, more recently, Grayson Allen during his first year in Milwaukee. Those players spent most of their minutes with Giannis Antetokounmpo to put a legitimate floor spacer on the court, and they often got an abundance of open looks. Green thrived when given such looks last season, having shot an impressive 65.4 percent on “wide open” shots, per NBA.com/stats. If he could still hit those shots with a larger role, there’s certainly room for him in the Milwaukee Bucks’ rotation.
In short, this is the clear-cut definition of a low-risk, high-reward signing for the Milwaukee Bucks. If Green excels next season, the Bucks can guarantee his salary for future years. If not, they can let him go and not risk much financially. Bucks fans would certainly prefer to go with the former, as it genuinely seems like Green has what it takes to be a regular in the rotation.
For a team that hasn’t had much success developing young players in recent memory, it’s exciting to see one of their undrafted players land a standard deal.
Stay tuned for more Milwaukee Bucks analysis, breakdowns, and rumors this NBA off-season.