Key Highlights
- The Milwaukee Bucks are expected to waive Tyler Smith.
- Andre Jackson Jr. and Amir Coffey will make the roster for the upcoming season.
- Smith’s contract was partially guaranteed, while Jackson had a more significant salary guarantee.
- Coffey comes in with an Exhibit 9 contract that can be converted to a standard veteran’s minimum deal.
Milwaukee Bucks Roster Adjustments for Opening Night
The Milwaukee Bucks have finalized their roster for the upcoming season, making it clear who will and won’t be on the team come opening night. According to sources from ClutchPoints and HoopsHype, the Bucks are expected to waive Tyler Smith, while retaining Andre Jackson Jr. and Amir Coffey. Smith’s departure comes as no surprise given his limited playing time during the 2024-25 season.
The former second-round pick played in just 23 games for the Bucks, averaging a mere 5.3 minutes per contest and scoring a total of 67 points. His contract was partially guaranteed, with $800,000 of his $2.2 million salary for this season being fully guaranteed up until opening night on Wednesday. Andre Jackson Jr., on the other hand, was a favorite of head coach Doc Rivers.
Despite having a more significant salary commitment—his $2 million salary for this season is partially guaranteed—the Bucks opted to keep him over Smith. This decision not only maintains their roster depth but also saves approximately $500,000 in cap space. Amir Coffey was signed on an Exhibit 9 contract during the offseason and will have his deal converted into a standard one-year veteran’s minimum upon official confirmation of Smith’s release. An Exhibit 9 contract is non-guaranteed, allowing teams to waive players without impacting their cap obligations before January 10th.
Background and Context
The move for the Bucks was inevitable given their roster constraints and salary cap considerations. With a veteran-heavy frontcourt featuring Giannis Antetokounmpo, Brook Lopez, Bobby Portis, Kyle Kuzma, and Jericho Sims, there wasn’t enough room to keep all players active. Smith’s limited playing time reflected his role as primarily a developmental asset rather than an integral part of the team’s strategy.
This decision also marks the conclusion of another chapter in the 2024 Bucks draft class. AJ Johnson, selected first overall and traded to the Washington Wizards for Kyle Kuzma, was one of three players from that year’s draft who played for Milwaukee before moving on. The departure of Smith leaves the Bucks without any representatives from their most recent draft picks.
Future Implications
The roster moves by the Bucks highlight the constant need to balance talent with financial constraints in professional basketball. While retaining Jackson and Coffey adds depth, it also means that the team has trimmed down its roster to focus on its core players who are expected to lead them towards another successful season. These changes underscore the importance of making strategic decisions early in the season.
The Bucks will need to ensure they have a balanced mix of experienced veterans and developing talent as they aim for sustained success, particularly with Giannis Antetokounmpo’s contract up at the end of this season. In conclusion, while Tyler Smith’s departure may be seen as disappointing by some fans, it is part of the broader strategy employed by the Bucks to maintain competitiveness in a highly competitive NBA landscape.
