Ranking every move by the Milwaukee Bucks during 2023 NBA off-season
By Dalton Sell
No. 6 – Trading up and drafting Andre Jackson Jr.
As highlighted previously, the Milwaukee Bucks needed more youth, athleticism, and wings on the roster before next season. Before drafting the aforementioned Chris Livingston, the team traded up to draft Andre Jackson Jr. out of UConn 36th overall, thanks to a surprise deal with the Magic. As soon as fans started watching Jackson’s tape, it was clear he could help this Milwaukee team.
Above all else, Jackson is a big 6-foot-6 wing who is extremely athletic and an excellent defender, which he displayed consistently in college. He even showed some glimpses of those attributes in his Summer League stint with the Bucks. He could immediately help this team on that side of the ball as a big wing defender with Wesley Matthews recently departing for the Atlanta Hawks.
In addition to being a stellar defender, Jackson is also a nice ball-handler and facilitator, as he was often the orchestrator of UConn’s offense in college. Having a piece like that could be beneficial for the Bucks, especially if they want to roll out a defensive-minded lineup that features a player like Jackson over Cameron Payne as a ball-handler.
Jackson’s rookie season will likely be a consistent work in progress with plenty of growing pains, especially on the offensive end – he’s not much of a scorer or shooter. However, if he does receive meaningful minutes, it will be because of that lengthy frame and tough defense. Again, the Bucks need big wing defenders, and Jackson has the potential to play that role extremely well.