In small bursts, the Milwaukee Bucks' youth is showing legitimate potential

Understandably so, youth has not been a major point of emphasis for the Milwaukee Bucks over the last few seasons.

With a generational talent in Giannis Antetokounmpo and other veteran stars like Khris Middleton and Brook Lopez, Milwaukee has consistently focused on constructing its roster with other veterans with the mindset of winning as much as possible in the present and not worrying about the future.

General Manager Jon Horst has fully bought into this approach, which is why he currently holds just two second-round picks leading up to the 2024 NBA Trade Deadline. Trades for veteran players such as Jrue Holiday, P.J. Tucker, and Jae Crowder, among others, have thinned Milwaukee's asset cabinet, leaving little room to build for the future.

This is 100 percent the approach the Bucks should be taking to maximize Giannis' prime, but after the two most recent postseason losses they've suffered, it was clear that they should bring in at least a touch of youth to get some energy, athleticism, and new blood into the mix. Both teams they lost to, the Boston Celtics and Miami Heat, possessed plenty of this. Milwaukee needed to combat that.

While still maintaining his mindset of bringing in win-now pieces such as Malik Beasley, who is having an incredible season, Horst found time in his busy schedule to address this need for youth this past NBA off-season. Although the younger players on the Bucks haven't been clear-cut rotation players, they've all flashed potential in some way, which is a great sign for the Milwaukee Bucks.

TyTy Washington is steadily developing in the G-League

A first-round pick in 2022, TyTy Washington didn't play much throughout his rookie season with the Houston Rockets in 2022-23. The following summer, the young point guard was included in a pair of different trades before ultimately being waived in what was a surprising move at the time. Once he hit the market, the Bucks wasted little time picking him up on a two-way contract.

Washington hasn't played a key role for the Bucks this season, but that was largely expected after the team picked up Cameron Payne in NBA free agency. Instead, the young guard has spent most of the season in the G-League with the Wisconsin Herd, where he's gotten a legitimate chance to work on his game. Thus far, he's been very impressive.

The freshly-turned 22-year-old guard has shown that he can be a jack of all trades when it comes to scoring, shooting, passing, and playing pesky defense. He's endured some growing pains along the way, and he needs to work on his efficiency when it comes to shooting the ball, but as a second-year players, bumps in the road like this are to be expected.

Barring a sudden change, Washington likely won't be called up to Milwaukee too often, and it's for the best that he keeps working on his game in the G-League. If the Bucks are hunting for a backup point guard down the line, perhaps they'd give Washington a close look. For now, all he can do is continue to work on his game and develop.

Assessing MarJon Beauchamp's play for the Bucks

With a rare first round pick at their disposal heading into the 2022 NBA Draft, there was pressure on the Milwaukee Bucks to get their selection right. On the clock, they selected MarJon Beauchamp, a raw prospect from the G-League Ignite. On paper, he fit the mold of an athletic two-way wing that this team needed.

Throughout his first season and a half, Beauchamp has been in and out of the rotation, but there have been signs of potential. He's used that athleticism to put together his share of highlight-reel-worthy plays from time to time, whether it's a thunderous dunk or an excellent defensive possession. He is still aiming to build confidence, which has always been a major factor for the youngster.

Only playing about two more minutes per game this season, Beauchamp's numbers are pretty similar to what he put up last year. However, one area he has improved in is his efficiency. After shooting just 39.5 percent from the floor last year, he's up to 48.5 percent this season. That includes climbing from 33.1 percent from three as a rookie to 40.3 percent as a sophomore.

Beauchamp hasn't been a home run for the Bucks, but no one expected that he could come in and be an immediate difference-maker. He's still growing with each passing day, and the hope is that he can one day become a consistent rotation player for Milwaukee. Having just turned 23, he's got plenty of time to develop.

It'll be interesting to see where he's at in the rotation by the time the season ends, mainly regarding whether or not he can cement himself as a staple for Head Coach Adrian Griffin. There was hope he could become the legitimate wing defender this team needs, but that may take another year or two, especially as he's been out of the rotation over the last few games.

A.J. Green continues to show sharp-shooting potential for the Bucks

That same night in 2022, the Milwaukee Bucks picked up A.J. Green, but it was not via a pick. The guard went undrafted before quickly signing with the Bucks on a two-way contract. The appeal was clear straight away, as Green made a name for himself in college as a legitimate perimeter shooter. The hope was that he could bring some of that to Milwaukee, and he certainly has.

Coming off a rookie year where he did not earn much playing time, Green is actually playing less on average this season. However, despite his limited time, he's still oftentimes catching eyes when he is on the floor, primarily due to that marksmanship. He can check into a game and get going instantly, which he has done from time to time this season.

Early in December, Green knocked down four triples in five attempts against the Chicago Bulls in what was an overtime win for Milwaukee. In one of the team's most recent contests, a blowout win over the Boston Celtics, Green only played nine total minutes, but he put up impressive numbers with nine points, two rebounds, two assists, and a blocked shot.

Though he hasn't managed to carve out a legitimate role for himself, Green's sweet perimeter stroke from college has held up in the NBA. He shot 41.9 percent last season, and he's up to 42.9 percent in 2023-24. If the Bucks weren't so hungry for defense, perhaps Green could crack the rotation due to how good of a perimeter shooter he is.

Finding his stride on defense will be the next step for Green. At 6-foot-4, 200 lbs, he's got good size, but he's got room to evolve on that end. No one will ever expect him to be an all-world player on the defensive end, but if he can become serviceable, Green may have a future in the NBA for a long time.

Andre Jackson Jr. might be a hidden gem for the Milwaukee Bucks

In what was expected to be a quiet 2023 NBA Draft, the Bucks spiced things up by trading up to get the 36th overall pick from the Orlando Magic. With it, they selected Andre Jackson Jr. from UConn. The appeal with Jackson was immediately clear, as he served as a jack-of-all-trades in college and could certainly do the same in the association.

It's been an odd season for Jackson. He's averaging 11 minutes across 34 appearances, and it's mainly due to him being in and out of the rotation. It feels like he's either playing a ton or very little on a game-to-game basis. However, when he does play, the rookie often flashes his skills.

Jackson, a 6-foot-6 wing, has checked many boxes for Milwaukee. On defense, he's used his combo of length and athleticism to hound whoever he is guarding. On offense, he hasn't put up the flashiest numbers, but one welcoming area has been his outside shooting. He's at 39.4 percent for the season, which is not bad for a player who wasn't much of a shooter in college.

At 22-years-old and a rookie, there have been some growing pains for Jackson early. One of the big reasons why he has not played more is because he is prone to foul. It's one of the biggest areas of his game that he must improve if he truly wants to be a part of the rotation for good. However, even with that, he's still caught plenty of praise, and rightfully so.

Jackson is averaging 14.4 minutes per game in January, the most he's seen in any month this season. With the team trying to find their stride on defense, it seems like Coach Griffin is rightfully using one of his most athletic and energy-filled wings. It wouldn't be overly surprising if Jackson's minutes as the season went on continued to increase.

If he keeps improving, he could end up being the young, athletic wing this team has longed for.

Bucks will be patient with Chris Livingston, but the potential is there

From the moment he was drafted with the final pick of the 2023 NBA Draft, Chris Livingston caught a lot of attention. That was largely because the Bucks handed him the largest deal ever for a final pick in a draft. Milwaukee's front office clearly liked what they saw in Livingston enough to give him such a deal, and everyone was curious to see what he would bring to the table.

So far, Livingston, who just turned 20, hasn't played an overly prominent role. He's spent time with the Wisconsin Herd in addition to his time with the Bucks, which has given him a chance to get game reps under his belt. This year will clearly be about developing the youngest player on the roster, whether it is with the Bucks or the Herd.

In his 11 appearances for the Bucks this season, Livingston's minutes haven't been plentiful, but he's oftentimes shown glimpses of potential in them. His main draw comes as an energizer, particularly on the glass. He's used his 6-foot-6, 220lb frame to fight for rebounds down low, battling for boards with players much bigger than him.

In all likelihood, the hope is that Livingston, in time, can develop into the type of big-wing defender and rebounder that the Bucks have been seeking for years. If he continues to add size, perhaps he could develop into a Jae Crowder type of player for Milwaukee. He's got the potential to become a huge piece of this team for years to come if he grows into his role defensively as time progresses.

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