Everyone who is with the Milwaukee Bucks for training camp won't make the roster ahead of NBA opening night. There will inevitably be some cuts, but Jon Horst, Milwaukee's general manager, is leaving the door open for everyone to make their case. There could be some surprising moves in the works over the next several weeks if Horst's media day comments are to be believed.
"I think we have 21 players who deserve a chance to be on an NBA roster, to be on our roster... It's a really competitive camp, and we knew that going into it. We were presented the opportunity, as the offseason progressed, to add some players that we thought were just too good to be true and just really great opportunities. We're going to let the guys play it out. I think competition gives us a great opportunity to have a great start to our camp and a great start to our season."
Bucks are giving everyone a fair shot ahead of training camp
It's not a spotlight-commanding story, but the end of the roster battle going on in Milwaukee will be worth keeping an eye on. Amir Coffey is on a training camp deal. Andre Jackson Jr.'s deal will not be guaranteed until opening night. Cormac Ryan is on an Exhibit 10, which is basically a camp deal that will slot him on Milwaukee's G League squad. These three, in particular, are fighting to earn their spot because all bets are off after camp.
As for players with standard contracts, Gary Harris, Chris Livingston, and Jericho Sims are all under a microscope despite earning new deals this summer. They have to prove the team was right to acquire and commit to them. Tyler Smith, the soon-to-be sophomore, feels like an obvious trade candidate if the Milwaukee Bucks need to clear a roster spot, so he must go all-out.
The best player will win. No one on the bottom half of the roster should feel safe.
Right now, if someone on the outside looking in feels destined to work their way onto the roster, it has to be Amir Coffey. Not only does he have a reputation as a two-way wing coming off a career year, but Doc Rivers recently highlighted how well he has been playing in camp. Even if it's a small sample size, that type of praise from Rivers matters.
Jackson's time in Milwaukee feels like it will inevitably come to a close. Letting him walk would be a small financial burden, as they've already guaranteed most of his salary. Ryan's odds of making the roster have been a long shot from the moment he signed. This move was made to get Ryan's rights for the G League, where the Milwaukee Bucks can get a closer look at him.
There's nothing wrong with some in-house competition. Everyone on this Milwaukee Bucks roster, even big names like Giannis Antetokounmpo and Myles Turner, has something to prove. A quote like this could ignite a fire within everyone.
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