Jericho Sims was great with the Milwaukee Bucks this past season, but there was one major hole in his game that held him back from being a seamless fit, which was his lack of a jumper. Milwaukee has sought out centers who can space the floor to complement Giannis Antetokounmpo for years, but it's not something Sims has ever done consistently.
Could he, though? It could very well cement his long-term future with the Milwaukee Bucks.
Sims having a career path like Lopez could work wonders for Bucks
Sure, asking a player who has taken one 3-pointer in their career to suddenly develop a reliable jump shot may sound crazy. However, Brook Lopez, who has been one of the NBA's best shooting big men over the last seven years, only attempted 31 triples in his first eight seasons. After that, he suddenly started firing away more, and it only took off once he got to Milwaukee.
(Lopez attempted 512 3-pointers during his first season in Milwaukee alone!)
No one is saying Sims should be heaving five or six triples per game, but can he get to a point where he can at least have defenses unable to completely ignore him on the perimeter? It's a tall ask but far from impossible, especially in today's NBA. At 26, Sims still has time to grow and take his game to the next level if he can add some semblance of a jump shot.
Sims currently isn't on Milwaukee's payroll as he braces for free agency, but the two sides extending their partnership makes all the sense in the world. The big man likely won't cost much to retain, and the Milwaukee Bucks need center depth, especially if Brook Lopez has played his last game in green. Sims has plenty of upside, especially if he can start expanding his game beyond the paint at all.
Currently, Sims is an athletic big who thrives when catching lobs and hauling in rebounds. An area he provided significant help in this season was his defense and ability to defend in space, something the other bigs on the roster struggled to do. If he can pair all of that with a jumper, there is no telling just how good Jericho Sims can be.
Perhaps the Milwaukee Bucks could aim to lock Sims in a gym with a Noah Shooting System during the summer, something that has benefited Brook Lopez and Pat Connaughton in years past.
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