For years, the Milwaukee Bucks surrounded Giannis Antetokounmpo with an abundance out outside shooters to open up the lane down low. Now, no one is saying that Jericho Sims will become a force of nature at the hoop like the Greek Freak, but with all of the talented shooters this roster possesses, the big man should be comfortable operating down low.
Bucks' shooting could benefit Sims
The Milwaukee Bucks have countless gifted shooters in town. Outside of Jaime Jaquez Jr. and Kyle Kuzma, who will likely have to be split up to maximize this team, Sims is one of the few players who is not a floor-spacer. That means when he's on the floor, odds are that he will be surrounded by stellar shooters who can draw opposing defenses to the perimeter, leaving the lane, his sweet spot, open.
While Sims was already very efficient with the Milwaukee Bucks last season, hitting 78.4 percent of his shots, he could actually improve. In 2025-26, Sims went 95-of-107 (88.8 percent) on his dunks and 43-of-63 (68.3 percent) on his layups. With all the attention defenses will be forced to use on Milwaukee's shooters, Sims could have easier matchups down low and bump that efficiency higher.
In particular, Sims should stick close to Kevin Porter Jr. and Ryan Rollins, two ball-handling guards who can be excellent floor spacers but also willing passers. Last season, Sims shot 31-of-88 (81.6 percent) off passes from Porter and 18-of-22 (81.8 percent) off passes from Rollins. Their ability to find him when defenses close in on them on the perimeter can be a great benefit to Sims.
New contract looms for Jericho Sims
Many were surprised when Sims opted into his player option for this season, but the Milwaukee Bucks will take it. While Kel'el Ware and Myles Turner should be the heavily featured centers, Sims will likely have his place in this rotation. With a contract year on the horizon, Sims needs to have an excellent season if he wants to get paid next summer, and he's in a great position to do so.
Again, no one is saying Sims will look like Antetokounmpo next season just because the team has an array of great shooters. However, it could certainly help him be productive in his minutes, and that is exactly what the Milwaukee Bucks need. Make defenses choose between closing out shooters on the perimeter or protecting the hoop.
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