There was plenty of anticipation surrounding the Milwaukee Bucks heading into Summer League, giving everyone an opportunity to see the team's young talent in action.
With a collection of experienced NBA players, rookies and unproven players from all over the globe, the Bucks had a very intriguing roster. As evidenced by their recent roster moves, the team has clearly put an emphasis on adding more youth into the mix this off-season, so this was a chance for everyone to showcase why they deserve to play in the big leagues.
Although they didn't have much team success, losing all five of their contests, there was potential on display from some players. On the other hand, there were others who disappointed and played a part in this winless stint. To sum it up, let us break down three risers and two fallers in terms of individual stock after these five games.
Riser - Ryan Rollins
After joining the Bucks late last season via a two-way contract, Ryan Rollins earned himself a chance to showcase his talent with the team in the Summer League. With just 25 games of NBA experience under his belt, including three with the Bucks, Rollins was primarily flying under the radar leading up to the action, but he certainly caught some eyes once it started.
Across these five games, Rollins did a bit of everything for Milwaukee, scoring efficiently, particularly at the rim, facilitating well and playing impressive defense. He finished as the team's second-leading scorer at 12.8 points per game. He also chipped in three rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.4 steals, which all captured his all-around impact.
Now, Rollins is still under contract as a two-way, so the Bucks will keep him around. Having just turned 22 years old, he's still very young and has the potential to develop into a nice two-way guard. He likely won't see much time with the Milwaukee Bucks this coming season, as most of his time will be spent in the G-League. Yet, if he keeps improving, he could make his way onto a standard roster in time.
Riser - Chris Livingston
After scarcely playing throughout his rookie season, Chris Livingston had a lot to play for during the Summer League, and he certainly seized the moment. With the five games concluded, it's not overly far-fetched to say that Livingston was the Milwaukee Bucks' best player during this run and showed some impressive development.
Livingston led the entire team in points (14.8) and rebounds (8.6) per game, the latter of which being surprising as a 6-foot-6 player. However, he battled down low to fight for the boards consistently. In terms of scoring, he was efficient at the rim, but he also showed off his range by hitting 42.9 percent of his triples. He also looked solid on defense, using his bulky frame to hound opponents.
When it comes to Milwaukee's young wings, many were keeping a close eye on the two names in the fallers section as players who could possibly leap into the rotation next season. Yet, Livingston put up a more impressive showing than either of them and looked like a young, athletic, hustle-first 3-and-D wing who could have a place in Milwaukee's rotation.
Riser - AJ Johnson
Many people were baffled by Milwaukee's decision to select AJ Johnson on draft night, given his age, body type and subpar stats from his overseas stint last season. Fans were quite anxious to see if the guard could silence those concerns by showing what he could do against NBA talent, and though it was a bumpy ride, his stock did ultimately rise.
The most significant takeaway from Johnson's five-game showing is his quickness. He flies up and down the court every possession, which certainly helped the team pick up the pace. Offensively, he was hot and cold, but a 22-point effort against the LA Clippers showed he does have a few tricks in his bag, though he did also go scoreless courtesy of an 0-of-12 shooting game in the finale.
At 19, no one expected Johnson to come out and play like a polished prospect; there were going to be holes in his game. He needs to continue his development on both sides of the floor, but these five games showed that there is indeed a good amount of potential in his game and that the Bucks were not flat-out foolish for selecting him like many initially claimed.
Faller - MarJon Beauchamp
About to enter his third season with the Milwaukee Bucks, MarJon Beauchamp was tagged as one of the "veterans" on this young roster. After barely playing throughout his first two seasons, this was a perfect opportunity for him to get on the floor and show off why the Bucks should give him a larger opportunity next season. Things did not quite pan out that way.
Beauchamp started the Summer League off hot but cooled down mightily as things pressed on to the finish line. In the four contests he played in, he shot just 32.7 percent from the floor and 30.4 percent from behind the arc while averaging 12.3 points per contest. His offense was shaky, as he oftentimes just settled for a bad shot or flat-out missed a good look, tallying several frustrating airballs.
Despite the poor offense, Beauchamp did rebound the ball and play defense at least somewhat well. There were glimpses of potential scattered throughout, but the poor offense and inconsistencies on the court overshadowed it. It would be hard to categorize Beauchamp as anything but a faller after this showing, creating real question marks about how his third NBA season will ultimately go.
Faller - Andre Jackson Jr.
Out of everyone on the roster, Andre Jackson Jr. was who many people believed would lead the way. Surprisingly, Jackson didn't show too much. It must be noted that his Summer League stint was cut a tad short due to a fractured finger, but even before that happened, Jackson didn't dazzle in the ways that many thought he would.
In his three games, Jackson averaged just 4.3 points, 2.3 rebounds and two assists per matchup. He just didn't play overly aggressively outside of a vicious putback slam he had in the opener against the Chicago Bulls. It was simply a strange stint for a player who looked like he was NBA-ready last season, and it would have been interesting to see how it played out had he not gotten injured.
Now, Jackson will spend his off-season rehabbing as he persistently works to get himself back to full strength by training camp. He can climb his way back up the stock ladder if he picks up where he left off last season, but for the time being, there's simply no denying that he went down a few ticks in this brief NBA Summer League showing.
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