For teams on the hunt for small forward support, Dillon Jones feels like the most clear-cut youngster worth taking a flyer on. The Milwaukee Bucks should be among those doing due diligence on Jones after surprisingly parting ways with two-way guard Mark Sears. Cutting Sears would be reasonable if the Bucks did so to tackle one of their roster's most glaring weaknesses.
Dillon Jones makes sense for Bucks after Mark Sears' departure
The Milwaukee Bucks have been undersized all season. With Taurean Prince hurt and Amir Coffey not panning out like the team had hoped, Milwaukee has been forced to play without a true small forward on the floor for most of the season. Dillon Jones won't solve that problem all on his own, but he could at least give the Bucks some potential-filled depth in that regard.
Just over a year and a half ago, Jones was a first-round pick in the 2024 NBA Draft. After spending his rookie year with the title-winning OKC Thunder, Jones is now playing on the Rip City Remix, the G League affiliate of the Portland Trail Blazers. He just turned 24, so he's still young and has plenty of time before he even thinks about reaching his basketball prime.
While he is a bit undersized height-wise to be a small forward, as Jones stands at 6-foot-5, he does make up for that in bulk, coming in at 235 lbs. The youngster boasts the type of build that could be useful in making him a sturdy wing defender at the next level. If the Milwaukee Bucks were to bring him in this season, that would almost certainly be their goal.
Jones has put up some solid numbers in the G League. In 14 Tip-Off Tournament games, the forward has averaged 16.4 points, 8.2 assists, 7.5 rebounds, and 1.9 steals per contest. Jones is putting a lot of good film on tape, but he's particularly dazzling with his facilitating, as his 8.2 assists per game are the fifth-most in the entire G League.
The Milwaukee Bucks should be looking for their next Ryan Rollins. Simply, that means uncovering a hidden gem who is seeking an opportunity and developing them into a legitimate contributor. Jones, who was walking across the draft stage in the first round just over a year ago, could certainly fall into that same boat. Time will tell if the Bucks focus on him or have another young target in mind.
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