Andre Jackson Jr. and the young Bucks begin their Vegas journey tonight
The Milwaukee Bucks will be taking on the Denver Nuggets tonight in Las Vegas to kick off their Summer League campaign. The two-month drought is over—Bucks basketball is back!
Where We’re At
With some uncertainty surrounding the Bucks and their rotation for next season, this Summer League will be more important for them than it has been in years past. A lot of eyes will be on their young guys and how they perform, as some of them may need to play real roles for the team in the coming year. Tyler Smith, Bogoljub Markovič, Mark Sears, and especially Andre Jackson Jr. will be under the spotlight as Milwaukee embarks on their summer escapades.
The Nuggets are in a lower-pressure situation than the Bucks here, as they’ll be relying on trade acquisitions and free agents to make them better next year, not internal growth. However, they do have some youngsters on their summer squad worth keeping tabs on. DaRon Holmes II, their 2024 first-round pick who missed his rookie year with a torn Achilles, will be returning to the floor tonight. Hunter Tyson, Spencer Jones, and Tamar Bates are all currently on standard or two-way deals with the team. Denver’s roster also features former Wisconsin Herd big man Ibou Badji and Northwestern legend Boo Buie.
Player To Watch
Tyler Smith will be the most intriguing young Buck to watch both tonight and throughout the week. He’s the prospect with the most upside on this roster, and could earn himself some run off the bench next season as Milwaukee is a little thin on forwards. We know Smith can shoot, but he needs to get stronger and improve as a defender. How he handles being matched up with the big-bodied forwards on Denver’s roster (Jones and E.J. Liddell) should be monitored.
For more on who to watch and what to watch for this Summer League, check out Brew Hoop’s preview article here.
How To Watch
FanDuel Sports Network Wisconsin and NBA TV at 8:30 p.m. CDT.
Playback Streaming
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