Milwaukee Bucks surprisingly waive two-way wing, two others

With just one game left on the preseason schedule, the Milwaukee Bucks were expected to start the process of trimming down their current roster ahead of the regular season.

The team announced on Wednesday that it had requested waivers on three players. The first two were not surprising, as Jazian Gortman and Drew Timme were on camp deals and not expected to stick around beyond the preseason. Yet, the third player was Omari Moore, one of Milwaukee’s two-way players, and his release immediately turned some heads.

Milwaukee Bucks surprisingly waive two-way wing, two others

Moore didn’t play much in the Summer League or thus far in the preseason, but it’s still somewhat surprising to see him go. Since signing him out of the undrafted pool after the 2022 NBA Draft, it seemed like the Bucks were invested in the youngster. If Moore does not get an opportunity on a new team, perhaps they could bring him back to play for the Wisconsin Herd in the G-League.

The major question now is who the Bucks will go after with their recently freed-up two-way spot. The position that could use some reinforcing right now is center. Behind Brook Lopez, Bobby Portis and Robin Lopez are the team’s two options. Portis is a good player, but Robin Lopez hasn’t looked great in the preseason, to put things lightly. Having another big man in town would make sense.

One in-house option could be Marques Bolden, who has been with the team for training camp and the preseason. He hasn’t played much in the preseason, but the 25-year-old could provide decent depth at the position heading into the new season. Perhaps the team sees something in Bolden that they believe can be brought out of him in this Milwaukee culture.

Outside of Milwaukee, Kai Jones is likely the option that will have everyone talking. A first round pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, the uber-athletic Jones flashed glimpses of potential during his two seasons with the Charlotte Hornets. At 22 years old, he’s still got plenty of room to grow.

Jones was recently waived by the Hornets after a string of outlandish social media posts, which included a trade request and stating that he was better than multiple teammates. That type of behavior could turn the Bucks, or any other team, off, but it’s worth keeping an eye on.

Stay tuned for more Milwaukee Bucks analysis.