NFL
By: Melo Williams
Coming into draft night the Milwaukee Bucks originally had one pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, the No. 58 pick.
Bucks GM John Horst wasn’t satisfied with only having one pick in the draft and he ended up securing the draft rights to, Andre Jackson Jr., the 36th overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, from the Orlando Magic in exchange for a 2030 second-round draft pick and cash considerations.
Milwaukee selected Chris Livingston from Kentucky with the 58th overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, then signed undrafted free agent Omari Moore from San Jose St. to a Two-Way Deal, and signed undrafted free agent Gonzaga star Drew Timme to an Exhibit 10 contract.
DEEP DIVE:
Andre Jackson Jr. started 28 of his 32 games played last season at UConn.
Jackson Jr., a 6-6, 200 lb guard who helped UConn win the 2023 NCAA Championship, averaged 6.7 points, 6.2 rebounds, 4.7 assists, and 1.1 steals in 29.2 minutes per game as a junior with the Huskies.
Jackson Jr. was selected to the 2022-23 Naismith Defensive Player of the Year Award Top 15 watch list.
As co-captain of the Huskies last season, Jackson Jr. averaged 6.8 assists and had a 4.1-1 assist-to-turnover ratio in six NCAA Tournament games during UConn’s National Championship run.
Playing in 81 games in three seasons with the Huskies, Jackson Jr. helped UConn reach the NCAA Tournament three times posting a 69-26 (.726) overall record.
Chris Livingston, a 6-6, 220 lb forward, appeared in 34 games, starting 26 of the 34 games as a freshman with the Wildcats. Chris averaged 6.3 points and 4.2 rebounds in 22.3 minutes per game and reached double figures in scoring seven times. That earned Livingston 2022-23 All-SEC Freshman Team honors last season for the Wildcats.
Livingston, a McDonald’s All-American, Jordan Brand Classic All-American, and consensus five-star recruit as a senior in high school earned 2022 Virginia Player of the Year and 2021 Ohio Player of the Year honors.
Omari Moore, a 6-6, 195 lb guard, had a solid four-year career at San Jose State, averaging 11.2 points, 4.4 rebounds, 3.7 assists, and a steal per game.
In 2023, Moore averaged 17.4 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 4.8 assists in 36.4 minutes per game. Moore shot 42.9% from the field and was named the 2023 Mountain West Player of the Year and selected First-Team All-Mountain West.
Drew Timme a 6’10 235 lb forward from Gonzaga had a stellar college career averaging 21.2 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 3.2 assists while shooting 61.6% his senior year. Timme averaged 17.2 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 2.4 assists per game in his career at Gonzaga. Drew Timme is Gonzaga’s all-time leading scorer.
Timme was signed to an Exhibit 10 contract. An Exhibit 10 contract is a one-year, minimum-salary NBA contract. The deal has a particular Exhibit 10 attached to it and no bonuses come along with it. This attachment is included in the contract after both the sides (team and the player) have agreed to it.
An Exhibit 10 contract gives a franchise the flexibility to convert it into a two-way deal, but the team has to ensure that it happens before the commencement of the regular season. Exhibit 10 deals are usually non-guaranteed, which means the team can waive the player and get the cap hit off their payroll.
Omari Moore can immediately bring more scoring and defense to Milwaukee’s second unit especially if the Bucks lose Joe Ingles, Wesley Matthews, and Jae Crowder to free agency.
Moore and Marjon Beauchamp could make an immediate impact as a solid duo offensively for Bucks HC Adrian Griffin’s second unit.
Jackson Jr. and Livingston I feel will provide production defensively for the Bucks.
Unfortunately, I don’t see Drew Timme making the Bucks final roster. Timme does a lot of things well offensively, however his weaknesses on offense and defense is much larger than what he does do well on offense.
GRADE: B
The Milwaukee Bucks had a solid draft. I believe Bucks’ general manager Jon Horst identified the team needs before the draft but also understood the magnitude of drafting correctly addressing those needs, not by name but by the best player that matched Buck’s culture and fit HC Adrian Griffin’s offense and defense.
OTHER NEWS:
Milwaukee Bucks’ released their official summer league schedule. July 7 vs Den, July 8 vs Phoenix July 11 vs Brooklyn, July 13 vs Miami. Check your local listing for time and the channel.
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