It is no secret that the Milwaukee Bucks have struggled with drafting prospects since they drafted Giannis Antetokounmpo in 2013. Many names have come and gone, showing glimpses of their talent, and Bucks fans have been optimistic each year they add a new player.
It was a shock in the 2024 NBA Draft when the Bucks were looking to compete but went with a young point guard in AJ Johnson with the 23rd pick over a more seasoned and NBA-ready player. The now 20-year-old guard decided to head down under and play for the Illawarra Hawks over college basketball. Despite this, he didn't get much experience under his belt in Australia, which had Bucks fans questioning Jon Horst and the front office's decision.
This decision was even more baffling when he was packaged alongside Khris Middleton in the trade that saw Milwaukee acquire Kyle Kuzma. The front office took a risk on a young, raw player, and not even halfway through the season, they shipped him off!
Well, the Washington Wizards are bad, but Johnson is beginning to show glimpses, and the Milwaukee Bucks won't be reaping the rewards.
Former Bucks guard AJ Johnson is starting to show his potential
Washington's league-worst record is 15-55, and the young core has shown signs of their ability. The team hopes to possibly land the first overall pick to take Duke's Cooper Flagg in this year's NBA Draft. It took time for Johnson to crack the rotation, but now, he is becoming a regular part of their roster.
Since arriving in DC, he has played 10 games, starting two and averaging 18.5 minutes per game. In that time, he is averaging 6.5 points, 3.1 assists and two rebounds on shooting splits of .439/.286/.778. However, over the last five games, he has really stepped up, averaging 10.4 points, four assists, 2.8 rebounds with a steal on very good splits of .488/.368/.714 and a +/- of 3.8 per game (+19 in total).
This has shown that giving the young guard legitimate time has allowed him to finally find his feet and get in his groove. There is just over a month of the regular season left, and he is now the first man off the bench and could potentially force his way into the starting lineup. Playing alongside veteran Marcus Smart has allowed him to not focus too much on the defensive side, but having that calming experience alongside him has allowed him to flourish.
From the Bucks' point of view, packaging him with Middleton may have been the only way to get the Kuzma deal over the line. There are glimpses of Johnson's potential, but it is still too early in his career to judge. His athleticism and energy were infectious in the few games he did play for the Bucks, but now, he can grow with the young group in Washington instead of spending a lot of time in the G-League.
Johnson's selection by Milwaukee was weird, and trading him away was weird, but for the player, he is in a better situation right now for his development, and the expectations are far lower. Tyler Smith is still with the Milwaukee Bucks and has a great skill set, but again, he is one for the future.
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