The Milwaukee Bucks made it clear how they feel about Chris Livingston by bringing him back on a one-year deal. Now, it's time for them to reveal their feelings on Andre Jackson Jr., a fellow draft pick from 2023 who recently had the guarantee date on his contract pushed back. Deciding his fate feels like the natural next order of business.
Bucks have an Andre Jackson Jr. question
There's no telling where things stand with Jackson and the Bucks. Milwaukee even approaching him about pushing back the date when his contract for next season becomes guaranteed makes it clear that they aren't entirely sold on him, but that doesn't mean they are leaning one way or another. They may want to see what other moves are out there before making a decision.
If a free agent Milwaukee likes is on the market or potentially hits it, they could waive Jackson to get said player on the roster. There has been chatter from NBA insiders Marc Stein and Jake Fischer that the Bucks might have eyes on Thanasis Antetokounmpo, a former staple for the franchise. They may value his presence and see letting go of Jackson as a necessary move to make.
A trade may very well also be on the table. Alone, Jackson's $2.2 million salary for next season would not net the Milwaukee Bucks a major upgrade. They could maybe get a second round pick. However, if Milwaukee utilized him in a package with Kyle Kuzma, who makes over $20 million, they could land a bigger fish. They are certainly Milwaukee's likeliest trade chips at the moment.
Of course, Milwaukee could also just keep Jackson for themselves. He hasn't quite grown the way they would have liked, and he didn't do himself any favors during a rough Summer League stint. If he does return to the Bucks for another go-round, he may find himself buried on the depth chart behind players like AJ Green, Gary Trent Jr., and possibly even Gary Harris.
It is somewhat surprising that the Milwaukee Bucks opted to bring back Livingston before sorting out things with Jackson, but the former was in the middle of an excellent Summer League showing. They clearly believe in what he brings to the table, and perhaps he could be a developmental project who grows into a quality rotation piece, such as youngsters AJ Green or Ryan Rollins.
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