Bucks will reveal their Andre Jackson Jr. stance any day now

The Milwaukee Bucks have until March 4 to convert Pete Nance to a standard NBA contract. Doing so, however, would mean cutting someone else from the 15-man roster to clear a spot for Nance. In practice, that player would be Andre Jackson Jr., who has played less than ever this season and has a team option next year. With the deadline creeping closer, Bucks fans won't have to wait long to see where he stands with the franchise. 

One way or the other, the clock is ticking on the Bucks

Nance has made his contract status relevant with how well he has played since getting his first shot in the rotation. Seven times in his last 11 games, he has seen between 15 and 30 minutes. Nance has scored in double figures on five occasions.

There are multiple reasons to upgrade Nance from a two-way deal. On a two-way contract, he can only be listed as active for 50 games and is ineligible for the playoffs. Nance has only 18 active designations with 29 games to go, potentially impacting his availability down the stretch. 

Locking him in on a multi-year standard deal would also prevent him from reaching restricted free agency this offseason, when other teams would be able to submit offer sheets. The Bucks should feel incentivized to secure Nance as part of their future.

In reality, that ship may have sailed for now. Ousmane Dieng looks like a breakout candidate, eating into Nance's minutes. Giannis Antetokounmpo's return is imminent. Opportunities will be limited. In that context, would the Bucks consider converting Nance worthwhile?

If they do decide to hand him a promotion, that all but surely means showing Jackson the door. The third-year guard hasn't started a single game after making 43 starts a season ago. He's easily averaging the fewest minutes of his career, resulting in a meager 1.5 points per contest. 

While Jackson proved to be a capable knockdown shooter in his first two seasons, he hasn't capitalized on his spare chances in '25-26. From beyond the arc, he is just 5-for-26 and is shooting 26.7 percent overall. Despite his reputation as a strong defender, on a Bucks roster that has struggled defensively, it's telling that he hasn't had his number called often. Instead, Jackson is buried on the depth chart.

Does his lack of impact mean the Bucks won't keep him around, at least through the end of the season? It's not a guarantee, of course. Perhaps they would appreciate the flexibility of Jackson's $2.4 million team option in 2026-27. 

At this point, though, that seems like a stretch. It was already a surprise to some that Jackson made the roster out of training camp. Even as it is, he's been playing (or at least warming the bench) on borrowed time. 

Nance, on the other hand, has made the most of his chances and looks like a potential core contributor beyond this year. Accordingly, many Bucks fans have been waiting anxiously for the organization to get Nance off a two-way deal. 

They won't be held in suspense much longer. Whether or not the Bucks determine that the Jackson Jr. era is over and the Nance chapter begun, they have less than two weeks to decide.