The small forward position these days has been the most problematic spot for the Milwaukee Bucks front office. They once captured lightning in a bottle with the trade deadline acquisition of P.J. Tucker in 2021. But they’ve been trying to replace his defensive prowess and versatility since then.
Last year, general manager Jon Horst went with fringe players who’ve shown the potential to grow into something more like Semi Ojeleye. And this year, he went with aging but proven veterans like Joe Ingles and Jae Crowder to fill out the small forward rotation. Both times, they were failures (Although Giannis Antetokounmpo wouldn’t agree with this word choice.