In what was such a dreadful season to endure, Cormac Ryan gave the Milwaukee Bucks something to be optimistic about. In his first legitimate NBA action, Ryan put up unheard-of numbers that made you think he could be a mainstay contributor. It's still possible, but with Milwaukee's roster, particularly the backcourt, overflowing with talent, Ryan working his way into the mix consistently is a long shot.
Bucks' loaded backcourt is bad news for Ryan
As things stand, Ryan's chances of building off his impressive rookie showing right away are slim due to the sheer number of guards the Milwaukee Bucks have.
Ryan Rollins, AJ Green, Kevin Porter Jr., and Gary Trent Jr. are all sticking around, while Milwaukee has added Tyler Herro, Kasparas Jakucionis, Brayden Burries, and Caris LeVert throughout the offseason. Consistent minutes might be hard to come by for the standard contract players; it certainly won't be a walk in the park for hungry two-way contract players like Kam Jones and Cormac Ryan.
With the Bucks having too many players as is, there is a possibility that one or even two of the guards get moved before the season, but even then, Ryan is still not high in the hierarchy, in all likelihood.
Ryan's breakout was worth the price of admission
He only played 11 games with the Milwaukee Bucks, but Ryan made a heck of an impression. In those contests, he averaged 14.3 points, 2.5 rebounds, and a steal per game while hitting 52 percent of his shot attempts. Even though Ryan was older than most rookies, given that he was 27, it was impressive for him to hit the ground running as quickly as he did.
Right off the bat, his potential as a shooter is undeniable. He buried 45.8 percent of his 3-pointers last season, proving that he can be a legitimate floor spacer at the NBA level. It felt like there was more to unearth with Ryan and that sweet shooting, and it would only come with a bigger opportunity in year two with the Milwaukee Bucks. Well, that appears unlikely.
Perhaps the guard could work his way into the mix at some point, but for now, he will likely have to wait his turn as a depth piece. It will be reassuring, though, to know that the team has a nice piece such as Ryan capable of putting up impressive numbers just waiting in the wings.
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