Things Tyler Smith can learn from every Milwaukee Bucks starter

The Milwaukee Bucks have reduced the age of their depth significantly during the 2024 off-season, letting veterans like Jae Crowder, Patrick Beverley and Danilo Gallinari leave and replacing them with younger players through the draft and free agency. One of these players is rookie second-round pick Tyler Smith.

Tyler Smith is a 6-foot-10, 224-pound power forward who came from the G-League Ignite with a pretty solid skill set. By skipping college to play professionally in the G-League for the 2023-24 season, Smith was able to get a taste of NBA level competition. However, being drafted by an NBA team is a new animal.

Tyler Smith is likely to be regarded in the 2024-25 Milwaukee Bucks season as a prospect and will probably spend more time in the G-League with the Wisconsin Herd, but in games where he's suited up for the Bucks, he should be a sponge soaking up all the information he can from the starters and depth players.

Let's highlight what he can learn from each starter.

Damian Lillard - Executing the pick-and-roll

It may be hard to imagine what a 6-foot-10 big man can learn from a point guard like Damian Lillard, but there is plenty Tyler Smith can still absorb from the Bucks superstar.

Firstly, before even stepping onto the court, Damian Lillard could tell Tyler Smith a lot about what it takes to have a lasting career in the NBA. Lillard himself is about to enter his 13th season in the league and shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon. If Tyler Smith wants to build a long term career in the NBA, Damian Lillard can speak from experience on the subject.

Moving to the court, the biggest thing that would be beneficial for Tyler Smith to learn from Damian Lillard is executing the pick and roll. Lillard would be able to offer Smith the ball handler perspective and teach him how to read opposing defenders on when to pop, when to roll and when opponents are going to double the ball handler.

Tyler Smith is absolutely a candidate to earn playing time this season if he can show Doc Rivers and the Bucks staff that he has a grasp on running the pick-and-roll with someone like Damian Lillard.

Smith has the athleticism to receive a pass and finish in the paint or be a lob threat with his impressive 38 inch vertical, fourth highest among power forwards at this year's draft combine. Also, Smith shot 35.2 percent on 3-point shots for the Ignite in 2023-24, so he has the ability to run the pick-and-pop and capitalize on attention toward Lillard by knocking down perimeter shots.