In somewhat of a surprising turn of events this season so far, Jericho Sims has moved from a deep bench role to a focal point of Doc Rivers' rotation with the Milwaukee Bucks.
Since Giannis Antetokounmpo went down with a calf injury on December 3, Rivers has leaned heavily on Sims to fill the void in the frontcourt. While the results have been mixed, the "Jericho Sims Experiment" has become one of the most talked-about storylines for a Bucks team that is fighting to stay afloat in the Eastern Conference without their superstar.
The bottom line is that Jericho Sims has made the most of his opportunity so far this season.
Jericho Sims has become an impact piece for the Bucks
When Giannis was ruled out for an expected four-week period or so, Doc Rivers made the bold decision to insert Sims into the starting lineup, rather than relying solely on veteran Bobby Portis Jr. To Rivers' credit, there is some logic behind this move. He wanted to maintain a high level of interior defense and vertical spacing.
Sims is known for his energy, rim protection, elite athleticism, and rebounding. He was seen as the best candidate to replicate the lob threat and rim protection that the Bucks lose when Giannis is not on the floor. He continues to run the floor hard on both ends, and his somewhat low-usage, high-effort has helped stabilize lineups that were missing Giannis' interior presence.
Sims has been playing with more aggression and has become a more active rim roller. Defensively, he has also stood out. While he hasn't remained a starter full-time, Sims has been playing well in any role Rivers utilizes him in.
In the same game that Giannis was injured against the Detroit Pistons, he responded with a career-high 15 points and 14 rebounds, which shows exactly why Rivers has kept him in both the starting lineup and rotation since then.
It has been a bit of a struggle sometimes for Sims to remain consistent. While the highlights for the most part have been promising, the transition hasn't been seamless. He has put up a couple of stinkers, where his lack of an offensive range has become a liability.
In a loss to the Portland Trail Blazers on November 25, he put up zero points, one rebound, and committed four fouls in 11 minutes. Then there was the December 6 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers in which he scored two pts, tallied three rebounds, and finished with one steal in 31 minutes.
Without Giannis to draw gravity, opposing defenses often sag off of Sims, which can clog the paint for an attacking Kevin Porter Jr. or Ryan Rollins to the rim. More than likely, Rivers is taking a big picture approach to figure out who can reliably play the non-Giannis minutes, as the Bucks struggle to get back to playoff contention after 30 games.
For Sims, not only does this matter, but this is a career-defining audition. After being traded to the Bucks from the New York Knicks in February 2025, he initially struggled to find minutes behind Brook Lopez last season, as well as behind Myles Turner at the beginning of this season. Now, with Giannis sidelined for another two to three weeks most likely, and the Bucks sliding in the standings (currently 12-18), Sims is being asked to do more than ever before.
Rivers is essentially taking Sims to school with the hopes that he masters the nuances of his defensive schemes. He has filled in admirably with his size and rebounding. He has also quietly bought into Doc Rivers' demands by not clogging the lane, setting strong screens, and understanding his overall role. He has also proven that he can be a useful rotation piece moving forward, specifically upon Giannis' return from injury.