NEW YORK, NEW YORK – JUNE 26: AJ Johnson (R) shakes hands with NBA commissioner Adam Silver (L) … [+]
The Milwaukee Bucks entered the 2024 NBA Draft needing an infusion of talent, athleticism, and several other pieces to compete for a championship next season. They exited with two young, raw prospects who will need time to grow into their roles.
To be clear, the draft is not the be-all, end-all of the Bucks’ offseason. It was simply one piece to the puzzle. A piece, however, that could begin to unveil what the larger picture looks like for Milwaukee.
The Bucks had the option to trade their 23rd overall pick on draft night, along with a player, for a proven veteran who can better support Giannis Antetokounmpo, Damian Lillard, and Khris Middleton. They chose to stand pat and select AJ Johnson out of the NBL.
Johnson was The Ringer’s 54th-ranked prospect on their Big Board. Obviously, Jon Horst and the front office saw things differently.
Johnson originally committed to Texas as a five-star recruit last year but chose to go to Australia instead. He was buried on the bench as a teenager and wasn’t able to carve out a consistent role on the court. Although there were limited opportunities to assess him in the NBL, the Bucks must’ve liked what they saw in workouts to make it worth their investment at 23.
Johnson is only 19, and Milwaukee hopes he takes the same developmental path as Tyrese Maxey—the Philadelphia 76ers’ first selection at 21st overall during Doc Rivers’ first year as their head coach.
At 6-foot-4 with a 6-foot-9 wingspan and 167 pounds, Johnson’s frame is the first thing that jumps out at you. He’ll need to spend a ton of time in the weight room in the coming years to avoid being pushed around by anyone and everyone in the NBA.
After that, he has some good skills to create a foundation from but needs to continue improving on all fronts. He’s displayed some good ball-handling and passing abilities. Unfortunately, he can get tunnel vision and forget it’s a team sport.
He also needs to improve his consistency in shooting the rock. Again, his form looks solid and should be something he can build upon during his first few years in the Association.
Milwaukee followed a similar path on Day 2 of the draft, selecting 19-year-old Tyler Smith from the G-League Ignite.
Smith, The Ringer’s 33rd-ranked prospect, can theoretically become a floor-spacing four who is average on defense. However, it’s all just theory at this point.
He has work to do on his frame, needing to add muscle to hang in the NBA. However, his shooting stroke is years ahead of Johnson’s and will give him a skill to fall back on during the beginning portion of his career.
He could’ve been drafted as a Bobby Portis replacement but will need time to grow into that role. Right now, he struggles to do anything other than shoot from the outside on a consistent basis.
Both players have high ceilings, and it’s clear Horst and the Bucks’ front office aimed for guys who could be around for the second half of Giannis Antetokounmpo’s career in Milwaukee. However, both guys also have extremely low floors.
Handing out grades for these players seems more unfair than usual. They are selections we’ll have to revisit in two to three years to see how they’re doing. These picks will go a long way in determining if Horst sticks around Milwaukee or if the Bucks decide it’s time to go in a different direction. The stakes are high, and the margin for error is slim. The future of the franchise could hinge on these young players’ development, making this draft a pivotal moment in Bucks history.