Nate Ament had to wait until the Bucks’ third game to log any playing time. Taylor Jenkins has made it clear that players need to earn their minutes, but he doesn’t have a real reason to hold Ament back considering the play of Kyle Kuzma and Ousmane Dieng at the same position.
Ament is an extremely young rookie at 19 years old, and he’ll need lots of opportunities this season to grow. Jenkins was brought in to develop the Bucks’ young pieces, so he needs to change his tune on Ament soon. Milwaukee isn’t aiming for a playoff berth this year anyways, so there’s never been a better time to let talented rookies play through their mistakes.
Ament needs more chances to play
The Bucks have been known for their draft mistakes in recent years, but their developmental approach was arguably just as much a problem as their actual selections. Jenkins has a chance to correct that wrong with his approach to Ament and fellow first-round pick Brayden Burries this season. Burries has at least appeared in every game so far, but Ament hasn’t gotten consistent chances yet.
In his sole appearance so far, Ament didn’t play very well against the 76ers on Saturday. He finished with 1 point, 3 rebounds, and 1 steal in 11 minutes. The most telling sign of his inexperience was his 5 fouls in such a short burst.
Ament did showcase some bright spots, though, including good defensive effort to help out and contest on drives. His offensive game and even physical traits still have a long way to go, but Ament can’t get there without more game reps.
The Bucks should have room for Ament
At other positions, the Bucks have been focusing on developing other young pieces. In the backcourt, they’ve got some new guards between Burries and trade arrivals from the Heat to feed in the meantime. At the center spot, Kel’el Ware needs to get his opportunities.
But the power forward position has been a weakness for Milwaukee so far. Kuzma hasn’t done enough to help the Bucks win; he’s arguably been one of the biggest detriments in the starting lineup. And Dieng, who showed some potential at the end of last season, hasn’t found the same spark so far this season.
The poor positional play ahead of Ament should warrant some minutes for him as a backup. He obviously hasn’t earned a starting spot yet, but some more minutes will help his progression. It’s still early in the season, and there’s plenty of time for Jenkins to play Ament more regularly.
Add us as a preferred source on Google