With a loaded backcourt, the Milwaukee Bucks do not have minutes right now for two-way guard Kam Jones. This coming season will likely be all about his development. Spending time with the Wisconsin Herd in the G League could be Jones' opportunity to showcase why he belongs in the NBA, especially after the team just lost an all-time great in Stephen Thompson.
Thompson's departure opens door for next Herd great
The Minnesota Timberwolves have signed Stephen Thompson to an Exhibit 10 contract, bringing him in for training camp. With these camp deals, players who don't make the cut inevitably end up with the G League squad for that franchise, meaning that after being a staple for the Herd over the last several years, Thompson will likely be on his way out.
If this is truly the end, Thompson leaves behind quite the legacy. He is the Herd's all-time leading in games played, points, minutes, and steals, while he is also top three in rebounds and assists. Filling his shoes won't be easy, but the door just swung wide open for everyone who will be with the Herd this coming season.
Jones, who will be among the most high-profile prospects with the Herd this season, will be gifted a golden opportunity to flex his talent.
Jones has the tools to be a legitimate NBA player
Getting Jones on a two-way contract is incredible value for the Milwaukee Bucks. After all, he was a second-round pick just over a year ago. After scarce minutes with the Indiana Pacers as a rookie, the Bucks can gleefully take him in and look to unearth the potential their rivals could not. There is clearly no shortage of it.
As he showed at Marquette, Jones can do a little bit of everything. He's a certified scorer who can put the ball in the hoop from anywhere, but that won't stop him from making the right play and finding one of his open teammates. Defensively, he always has active hands—having averaged 1.4 steals this past season—and can be a flat-out pest for opponents.
If he grabs this opportunity by the horns and dominates in the G League, the Milwaukee Bucks guard could work his way up the ladder quickly. It helps that he is with a Bucks organization that has exceled in identifying and promoting young talent through two-way deals. It all starts with how well Jones can play, and with Thompson gone, he will have the greenest of lights to shine with the Herd.
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