Long before the Giannis Antetokounmpo trade was even conceptualized, the Milwaukee Bucks’ championship core was already dismantled by a massive, jagged hole that sat right at the heart of their rotation. And that's because for all those years between the championship season and now, Jon Horst and company had been trying and failing to replace the steady, calculated brilliance of Khris Middleton.
For a while, the franchise thought Kyle Kuzma could be that guy and bet on his durability and availability, all to mixed results. Then they tried to replace him by committee with the talents of Kevin Porter Jr., AJ Green, and Gary Trent Jr. But after everything, they just haven't been able to find someone who can do what Middleton did, perhaps until now. With Jaime Jaquez Jr. officially settled into the fold following the blockbuster reset, the Bucks finally have their long-term answer at the small forward spot.
Jaime Jaquez's game looks a lot like Khris Middleton's
Khris Middleton was far from the best playmaker in the league or even on the team. But considering his chemistry with Giannis Antetokounmpo and his ability to fit his game within the rhythm of the offense, he was certainly one of the game's best play-connectors.
In the same way, Jaquez isn't going to blow anyone away with lightning-fast, guard-style acceleration. He’s never going to be the explosive, above-the-rim flier who wins a footrace in transition. But Jaquez operates at his own deliberate, methodical pace as he coordinates actions on the court within the flow of the system. He’s an almost intentionally slow-footed wing who weaponizes angles, uses his body to carve out space, and operates with the poise of a ten-year veteran.
When the half-court offense bogs down or faces a stout defense, which is likely to happen very frequently after handing the keys to a roster full of nineteen-year-olds still finding their way in the league, you absolutely need a stabilizer who can make things happen when the game slows down. You need a guy who can catch the ball on the wing, survey the floor, absorb contact, and relentlessly score in bunches. That was Middleton’s biggest contribution during the 414's golden years. And it’s the exact calling card Jaquez brings to Taylor Jenkins’ system.
Already, Jaquez can bully smaller guards in the paint, punish lazy closeouts, and get to his spots in the mid-range with ruthless efficiency. Even the efficiency is something to recognize: per NBA.com/stats, Jaquez shot 52.2 percent on midrange attempts this past season. The volume isn't there yet -- Jaquez was up to just 67 attempts for the entire season, while Middleton consistently shot at least 200 middies per year in his time in Milwaukee -- but the high efficiency at least gives fans something to look forward to.
The defensive end is where they differ, too. Middleton was consistently a steady defensive presence who knew how to use his size, length, and smarts to make up for his lack of foot speed in defending other wily forwards. Meanwhile, Cleaning the Glass has Jaquez in the 50th percentile in defensive rating among wings after the latter finished the season allowing a net neutral 0.0 points per 100 possessions every time he stepped on the court.
They're obviously not going to be the same player off the bat. The biggest difference for this writer is Jaquez's dip in three-point percentage. Ultimately, a relatively young player in just his fourth season in the league isn't going to replace a championship-winning second option and All-Star. But the parallels are there.
The Bucks might have finally found their small forward answer
You don't just find a walking mismatch who can orchestrate out of the mid-post, hit clutch shots when the shot clock is dying, and anchor a wing unit overnight. The post-Middleton era brought a revolving door of experiments, awkward fits, and a whole lot of empty possessions.
It took a turbulent year and a half of roster churn, false starts, and painful organizational hard resets to get here. But by securing a cerebral, tough-minded scorer like Jaquez, the Bucks didn't just fill a positional need with a wing-sized forward -- they might have finally plugged the Middleton-sized void on their wing, too.
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