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Finding role players to fit in alongside Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard may be one of the Milwaukee Bucks’ biggest challenges in the near future. However, it looks like they stole the perfect complimentary player in 2022 undrafted free agent AJ Green.
After failing to hear his name called in the 2022 NBA Draft, Green signed a two-way contract with the Bucks that July. He quickly demonstrated his shooting prowess—perhaps, the one elite skill that can carry you into an NBA opportunity.
In limited action last season—appearing in just 10.3 minutes per game in 45 appearances, Green showed time and time again that he’s a lethal shooter. It’s not just his ability to be accurate with his three-point shot, but the speed and height of his release that make it nearly impossible for defenders to help off him and recover in time. He made 41.9 percent of his three three-point attempts per game as a rookie.
Milwaukee rewarded him last summer by inking him to a three-year extension. Green is making a measly $1.9 million this season with two non-guaranteed years in 2024-25 and 2025-26 at $2.1 and $2.3 million respectively. It’s a low-risk deal for the Bucks that is already paying dividends.
Under new head coach Doc Rivers, Green is establishing himself as a legit role player at the end of the rotation. He’s also expanding his game to prove he can not only knock down threes, but play a little defense as well.
Green has continued to be lethal from downtown. He’s making 41 percent of his three-point shots this season, forcing his defender to stick close to him whenever he’s on the perimeter.
In the Bucks’ most recent game against the Los Angeles Clippers, he received a huge boost of confidence from Rivers when he played some minutes in crunch time. With Milwaukee leading by two with just over 3:30 remaining, Green set a ball-screen for Lillard on the left side of the Bucks’ logo. Green’s man trapped Lillard to get the ball out of his hands, as Green popped well above the three-point line at the top of the key. 31 feet away, to be exact.
Green Caught the bounce pass from Lillard, loaded up, and drained a deep three with Paul George daring him to shoot from that deep. Yak yak and the Bucks were suddenly up by five.
Green didn’t do much offensively against the Phoenix Suns on Sunday. However, he did run a staple of Milwaukee’s offense to perfection.
Early in the second quarter, Green was coming down the court on the left side, with Patrick Beverley power-walking down the middle and Khris Middleton bringing up the rock on the right side. Beverley sets a simple down screen for Green who catches Eric Gordon napping and explodes off the screen for a basic catch-and-shoot three.
Green’s shooting appears to be the real deal. It’s what earned him a look with the Bucks in the first place. What’s been the biggest surprise to his game this season has been his on-ball defense.
Green isn’t the most gifted athletically, but he does understand what he has to accomplish if he wants to get on the court. Green does a great job keeping his hands off ball-handlers, showing them to the officials, and squaring up his chest as best as his agility allows him.
He’s never going to be confused with elite defenders, but he is showing he’s capable of guarding off-ball wings. The more he continues to play to this level, the more he’ll see the court.
Right now, he’s just trying to hold on for dear life and keep his spot in the rotation. That will be harder with Middleton back. Still, Rivers should continue to go to Green for regular playing time.
Green has already supplanted Danilo Gallinari in the rotation. Pat Connaughton may be next. Green is a better shooter and on-ball defender this season. Connaughton, of course, has the championship experience and still brings a higher level of athleticism.
Still, don’t count Green out. He continues to battle and has shown some dawg in him. It’s a rotational spot he’s fighting for now, but who knows? It could be a starting gig in the very near future.
