With the Milwaukee Bucks staring down the barrel of an eighth straight loss, Head Coach Taylor Jenkins changed things up. Just 10 games into his rookie year, Nate Ament joined fellow rookie Brayden Burries in the starting five in the loss to the Los Angeles Lakers. Ament's stats didn't jump off the page, but the Bucks need to be patient as they fully buy into the youth.
Highlight dunk headlines Ament's steady first start
On the surface, Ament finished with just two points, one assist, and one block while taking just three shots, which is a very quiet night. Yet, there were positives in the performance. What caught attention was his monster dunk over Walker Kessler off a Tyler Herro dish.
Defensively, he more than held his own. The Lakers shot 6-of-13 (46.2 percent) of their shots when guarded by him. He even had the Luka Doncic assignment and spent time guarding Austin Reaves, a nightmare for any player in the league, let alone a rookie. Yet, Ament did well and used his size advantage to keep himself in front of the guards, making life as difficult as you can for two of the NBA's elite scorers.
It was a step in the right direction for the Milwaukee Bucks. A franchise-tying worst start to the season is not ideal, especially with the performances that some of the veterans and trade pieces have put in. Jenkins is still trying to find a formula, and he was forced into a change on Wednesday with no Myles Turner.
Bucks should let the youth loose
Brayden Burries has now started six straight games and has firmly pushed Ryan Rollins into a bench role. Kel'el Ware started at the five against the Lakers and, despite putting in a mediocre performance, it was still better than what Turner has produced of late.
Herro and Jaquez have started really well, but the other veterans have been inconsistent or even unplayable at times. With the Bucks beginning their rebuild this season, it might feel early to fully unleash the youth. However, the veterans aren't getting the job done anyway, so allowing the prospects to develop is the way to go.
It wasn't a jaw-dropping debut from Ament, and the young players will be inconsistent as they get settled in. There was enough there to show why he belongs as a key cog in the rotation, and his performances off the bench lately earned him a shot at playing from the start.
Ament came into the starting five earlier than most fans would have predicted, but that's a testament to his performances as much as others' struggles. There is more to come from him, and it's a step in the right direction for the Milwaukee Bucks.
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