The Milwaukee Bucks' Delon Wright investment did not pay dividends in the way they hoped. While he did turn into Jericho Sims in a deadline deal with the Knicks, Wright did not adequately perform the backup point guard duties the Bucks sought. By the time of the trade, he was little more than an afterthought in the rotation. He had played so poorly that it was reasonable to wonder whether his NBA playing days were nearing the end.
Wright rebounded in New York, however, and now, Milwaukee's top rival, the Indiana Pacers, are giving the 10-year veteran another shot in the league with a training camp deal. With only so many second and third chances available, whiffing on this opportunity could be strike three.
Wright must be for the Pacers what he wasn't for the Bucks
For all the upheaval at point guard, the Bucks were appreciably thinner at the position to begin last season. Behind Damian Lillard, Doc Rivers did not have a legitimate floor general to turn to. The Bucks brought in Wright as the next best option despite a concerning efficiency dropoff in 2023-24.
After him, the depth chart dissolved into Andre Jackson Jr., more of a wing than a playmaker, and an unknown player named Ryan Rollins, who was playing on a two-way contract. Of the three, Wright was the closest thing to a point guard and the only proven name.
It didn't take long to become clear that the signing had been a mistake. Stubbornly, Rivers gave Wright a consistent 15 minutes per night through the first three months of the season despite abysmal production. In a Bucks jersey, Wright averaged 2.5 points and 1.8 assists in 26 games on abysmal shooting splits. Yes, it was really that bad.
By January, both Rollins and Jackson had leapfrogged Wright in the rotation, relegating him to the dust-gathering end of the bench. He played four games after the New Year before being flipped to the Knicks.
For whatever reason, Wright got back to being a serviceable fringe player in New York, boosting his field goal percentage back to a slightly better level. In free agency, it took him until late September to sign with a new team, but the Pacers finally gave him a camp contract like the Bucks did with Amir Coffey. It doesn't guarantee Wright a roster spot, but it gives him a chance.
With Tyrese Haliburton out for the year, point guard is a position of opportunity in Indiana. A two-guard by trade, Andrew Nembhard looks like the presumptive starter at the point, followed by TJ McConnell off the bench, but after that, there isn't much clarity. Third-year player Quentin Jackson could emerge as a depth option. Second-round draft pick Kam Jones could see minutes as a combo guard.
Wright, as well, has an opportunity to contend for a spot as the Pacers look to cobble together a capable roster and survive a gap year, missing the orchestrator of their offense. Wright could provide helpful veteran stability in an uncertain year, but to stick around, this time, he must meet the job description.