Possessing the 23rd overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, the Milwaukee Bucks desperately needed to add a young contributor to their veteran-oriented rotation.
In addition to their health issues, the Bucks were plagued by a lack of youth, athleticism and reliable defenders, which is why they failed to keep up with the energetic Indiana Pacers in the postseason. This past draft class was littered with intriguing young players who could help this Milwaukee team immediately if they were selected.
Many Bucks fans were dreaming of Ryan Dunn falling to them. The forward was classified by many as the best defender in the draft, and with two years of collegiate experience under his belt, there was a chance he'd be ready to help sooner rather than later. While his offensive game was raw, the positives far outweighed the negatives in terms of his potential.
When Milwaukee was on the clock, Dunn was on the board, but it wasn't his name called. Instead, the Milwaukee Bucks selected AJ Johnson, a 19-year-old who played one year of overseas basketball in 2023-24, scarcely seeing minutes. While Johnson has potential, that doesn't help the Bucks now, and some recent developments have only highlighted this issue further.
Ryan Dunn's productivity in one area should sting for Bucks fans
One of Milwaukee's prominent issues early this season has been an inability to slow down opposing guards. Guards have feasted on their defense, fueling a 35-point game from Coby White, a 32-point night from Cam Thomas and a 28-point game from Payton Pritchard. The list doesn't stop there, but those are three key examples through just four games of guards getting hot.
Meanwhile, Ryan Dunn, who went to Phoenix a few picks later, has brought his trademark defense to the Suns, especially against guards. Per NBA.com/stats, opposing guards have shot a mere 5-of-14 (35.7 percent) with Dunn as the primary defender. The player many Milwaukee Bucks fans wanted due to his ability to defend and possibly help right away has been doing just that but for a different team.
To make matters worse, though it's a small sample size, Dunn has quieted concerns about his offense early on, averaging 7.8 points while shooting a red-hot 43.8 percent from 3-point land. He looks like a young two-way force that Milwaukee Bucks fans were dreaming of getting this offseason in an effort to patch several obvious roster flaws.
Meanwhile, AJ Johnson was just assigned to the Wisconsin Herd, Milwaukee's G-League affiliate, where he will likely spend a good chunk of his season, as the Bucks struggle.
To be clear, AJ Johnson could still become a tremendous player; there's no denying his potential as a crafty, uber-athletic floor general. However, the question of low long it will take for him to be ready to participate nightly looms large while several other rookies from his class are already contributing at a high level, including Ryan Dunn.
It's still early in the NBA season, and things can always change, but these early returns certainly sting for the Bucks. If the Bucks can tighten up their defense and start slowing down opposing guards, the discussions about AJ Johnson and Ryan Dunn will quiet down.
Stay tuned for more Milwaukee Bucks analysis.