The Milwaukee Bucks have no shortage of decisions to make this offseason; one of them will involve whether or not they should guarantee Andre Jackson Jr.'s contract for the 2025-26 season. It would be shocking if they decided not to bring back the youngster.
Jackson, a second-round pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, hasn't had too much stability during his first two NBA seasons, constantly bouncing in and out of the Bucks' rotation, but he's a young player this team must aim to develop moving forward, as his potential is through the roof.
Bucks must look to get the most out of Jackson
With a $2.2 million salary for 2025-26, retaining Jackson wouldn't be a sizeable financial commitment for the Milwaukee Bucks. In fact, if they finally let him off the leash a bit and offer him consistent time, it could end up being a steal of a deal fairly quickly.
Jackson has made his mark with the Bucks with his hustle and ability to create a highlight play at any given moment. Whether it's with a dunk or a block, Jackson is always making waves on social media. He's also one of the team's best and most versatile defenders.
This past season was a weird one for Jackson. He was thrown into the starting lineup early in the year and played rather well, but his importance faded once the Milwaukee Bucks landed Kyle Kuzma. Not only did Jackson end up losing his starting spot, but he lost his role entirely.
Part of the reason Jackson fell out of Doc Rivers' favor was due to his lack of offense. He was often far too passive, giving up on good looks to find a teammate. If he can up his aggressiveness on that side of the ball while also playing stout defense, he can be a legitimate two-way threat.
Considering that the Milwaukee Bucks only have four players under contract next season at the time of this writing, it would make sense to keep one of their most promising young players. This team is in need of youth, athleticism and hustle, and Andre Jackson Jr. checks off every single box.
At 23, he's still incredibly young and has time to correct his flaws. It would be disastrous to see him go elsewhere and blossom into a strong contributor, especially with how poorly Milwaukee's draft record is in recent memory.
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