With very little financial wiggle room and a lack of assets to make sizeable changes to their roster moving forward, the Milwaukee Bucks will have to get creative.
One such route, and one currently working with former undrafted guard AJ Green, is finding hidden gems and bringing them up through the G-League system. The Bucks haven't had much luck with young players in recent memory, but as the roster aims to get younger and more athletic, they will certainly emphasize it more and more.
The Wisconsin Herd, Milwaukee's G-League affiliate, has assembled a solid roster this year, but with several waived players looking for new homes following the NBA Trade Deadline, perhaps they could look to add a few new faces. One player they should have eyes on is Jalen Hood-Schifino, the former Los Angeles Lakers shooting guard.
Bucks' G-League squad should add former first-round pick
Without question, Hood-Schifino did not live up to expectations with the Lakers. After being selected 17th overall in the 2023 NBA Draft, he averaged 1.7 points, 0.6 rebounds and 0.4 assists while hitting just 23.9 percent of his shots in just 5.4 minutes per game. Now, after being shipped out to Utah in the Luka Doncic trade, the 21-year-old is a free agent after being waived.
While his NBA numbers leave plenty to be desired, there is potential with Hood-Schifino, and it starts with his long frame. At 6-foot-6 with a 6-foot-10.25 wingspan, the youngster is a lengthy two-guard with the chops to be a solid defender at the NBA level. There wasn't a large enough sample size to see it with the Lakers, but perhaps that could be unearthed with more reps.
Speaking of more reps, Hood-Schifino did flex plenty of desirability during his 15 contests with the South Bay Lakers in the G-League last season. In that span, he averaged 22 points, 5.3 assists and 4.7 rebounds while shooting 43.2 percent from downtown. Unlike in the NBA, he had a chance to spread his wings, and the potential was there.
The Wisconsin Herd could use a jolt in the backcourt after parting with AJ Johnson, who was just starting to find his footing with the team, in the Kyle Kuzma trade. Hood-Schifino could be a low-risk piece to add to an intriguing G-League squad if no one else signs him. Again, he's just 21, so he's far from being a finished product. Some time in the G-League could help greatly.
Who knows, if Hood-Schifino were to perform well in the G-League and showcase some of his clear two-way potential, he could earn another NBA contract sooner rather than later. The Bucks could be in the market for more lengthy guards who can defend and help on offense, so they would likely keep a close eye if this move were ever to go down.
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