Lithuanian point guard Augustas Marciulionis recently revealed that he chose the Los Angeles Lakers over the Milwaukee Bucks as his team next season, per BasketNews. The Bucks missed out on what would have been a nice young piece, but if they want to further beef up the training camp roster with a point guard, one name they should call is Dalano Banton.
If the Bucks want another point guard, Banton fits the profile
To be crystal clear, it's unlikely that the Milwaukee Bucks are looking to sign a point guard to their standard roster. Marciulionis signed an Exhibit 10 with the Lakers, so it's reasonable to believe he earned the same offer from Milwaukee. The Bucks could reasonably be on the hunt for a body for training camp and then to stash in the G League. Dalano Banton could be that.
The 25-year-old has never found a steady role for himself during stops with the Raptors, Celtics, and Trail Blazers, but there have been glimpses of potential. When given 29.2 minutes per game during his 30-game stint with Portland in 2023-24, Banton averaged 16.7 points, 4.8 rebounds, 3.6 assists, and 0.9 steals per game, primarily off the bench. There was plenty on display in that sample size.
Baton's biggest problem has always been his efficiency. For his career, he's shot just 40.2 percent on his field goals, including 30.2 percent from deep. While he averaged 16.7 points during his first year in Portland, he took 15 shots a night to get there. That's arguably the biggest reason why he remains a free agent this deep into the summer.
Even with the efficiency concerns, the Milwaukee Bucks could take Banton in as a reclamation project and try to rehab his value. A 6-foot-9 point guard, he's a unique breed. Banton uses that stature to be a pest on the defensive side of things, hounding opponents as a versatile piece. Bringing in a player like that on a camp deal, especially if they are looking at point guards, would be incredibly low-risk.
The Milwaukee Bucks could always stick him down in the G League to see if he can rebuild his value, as they've done with other players like Justise Winslow, Tyreke Evans, and Terrence Davis lately. Even if it doesn't work out, it won't come back to bite them. Milwaukee is always looking everywhere they can to find talent, and this is one possible avenue.
Only time will tell how the Milwaukee Bucks round out this roster ahead of training camp. They already signed Amir Coffey to a camp deal, and perhaps they can find another gem out there.
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