Jericho Sims keeps vindicating Bucks for rebuffing trade deadline bait

The Jericho Sims roller coaster ride continues. After a period out of the rotation altogether, he has strung together solid performances in six straight games, several of them as a starter. Has he finally hit his stride, or are Milwaukee Bucks fans in for another plunge later on? Right now, at least, Sims is proving the team right for resisting the urge to add another center at the trade deadline. 

Specifically, the Bucks passed on Nick Richards, who wound up with the Bulls, in favor of forward Ousmane Dieng. That already looks like a home run decision. The way Sims is playing, it just looks that much better. 

Sims just needs to be serviceable. Lately, he's been that and then some

Let's start by recognizing that Richards, initially reported as going to the Bucks, is doing just fine in Chicago. Overall, he probably has a higher floor than Sims and certainly has the more proven track record. 

But do the Bucks really need another big? Not if Sims contributes as he has been. Thrust into the starting lineup, he answered the bell by posting a 17-point double-double in a win over Orlando (a career high in scoring). Against the Pacers, he secured 15 rebounds and contributed four assists and a pair of blocks.

Overall in that span, Sims is averaging  8.5 points, 8.7 rebounds, and 2.2 assists on 78.6 percent shooting. 

Of course, "shooting" should really go in quotation marks. Sims does almost all his work on dunks and putbacks. His job is to grab offensive rebounds, roll to the rim, and be a decent interior defender. In the aforementioned sample size, he is grabbing 2.5 O-boards per game. Defensively, he contests shots at the rim (0.7 blocks per game) and serves as a big body to clog the paint. He is what he is.  

Lately, that's been more than enough, and Sims has actually shown some touch around the hoop, deftly using the window on close-range push shots. While he is limited, recognizing that fact makes him incredibly efficient with his opportunities. He doesn't force it.

During this recent stretch, Sims has also demonstrated growth in another area. Using the space teams give him away from the basket, he facilitates ball movement on dribble hand-offs and as a swingman on the perimeter. By gaining position in the paint or by doing work on the glass, Sims has also shown the ability to reroute the ball to open shooters in the corners. 

Illegal screens do remain a problem. Bucks fans would be justified in staying jaded. Sims spent January out of the rotation. He has alternated between sporadic starts in a regular rotation role and the dust-gathering end of the bench. If viewers don't want to be fooled again, it's hard to blame them. Skepticism is probably the right approach. 

Doubters may not be asked to extend their trust much longer. Once Giannis Antetokounmpo returns after the All-Star break, Sims' minutes will naturally go down. That said, he does appear to be finding a comfort zone, so maybe Doc Rivers keeps him involved. Either way, answer this: Would the Bucks be better off with Sims and Dieng or Nick Richards? That's the first choice all day.