AJ Green Is Earning A Role With The Milwaukee Bucks

Finding role players to fit alongside Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard could be one of the Milwaukee Bucks’ biggest challenges in the near future. However, it appears they stole the perfect complementary player in 2022, undrafted free agent AJ Green.

After not hearing his name called during the 2022 NBA Draft, Green signed a two-way contract with the Bucks in July. He quickly demonstrated his shooting prowess, perhaps the only elite skill that can lead you to an NBA opportunity.

In limited action last season – appearing just 10.3 minutes per game in 45 appearances, Green showed time and time again that he is a lethal shooter. It’s not only his ability to be accurate with his three-point shot, but also the speed and height of his shot that makes it almost impossible for defenders to assist him and recover in time. He made 41.9 percent of his three-point attempts per game as a rookie.

Milwaukee rewarded him last summer with a three-year extension. Green makes 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. This is a low-risk deal for the Bucks that is already paying dividends.

Under new head coach Doc Rivers, Green is establishing himself as a legitimate role player at the back end of the rotation. He’s also expanding his game to prove that he can not only knock down three-pointers, but also play some defense.

Green continued to be deadly from downtown. He’s making 41 percent of his three-pointers this season, forcing his defender to stay close to him whenever he’s on the perimeter.

In the Bucks’ last game against the Los Angeles Clippers, he received a huge confidence boost from Rivers when he played a few minutes in a critical moment. With Milwaukee leading by two with just over 3:30 to play, Green set up a ball screen for Lillard on the left side of the Bucks logo. Green’s man tricked Lillard to take the ball out of his hands, as Green jumped well above the three-point line at the top of the key. At 31 feet, to be exact.

Green caught Lillard’s bounce pass, charged in and drained a deep three with Paul George daring him to shoot from that deep. Yak yak and the Bucks were suddenly up five.

Green didn’t do much offensively against the Phoenix Suns on Sunday. However, he led a vital part of Milwaukee’s offense to perfection.

Early in the second quarter, Green was coming down the field on the left side, with Patrick Beverley power-marching up the middle and Khris Middleton heaving 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 three-way catch-and-shoot.

Green’s shooting appears to be the real deal. That’s what got him an appearance with the Bucks in the first place. What has been the biggest surprise about his game this season has been his defense on the ball.

Green isn’t the most athletically gifted, but he understands what he needs to accomplish if he wants to get on the field. Green does a great job of keeping his hands away from ball handlers, showing them to the officials, and straightening his chest as best his agility allows.

He’ll never be confused with elite defenders, but he shows he’s capable of keeping wings off the ball. The more he continues to play at this level, the more he will see the field.

Right now, he’s just trying to survive and maintain his spot in the rotation. It will be more difficult with Middleton’s return. Still, Rivers should continue to go to Green for regular playing time.

Green has already supplanted Danilo Gallinari in the rotation. Pat Connaughton could be next. Green is a better shooter and defender on the ball this season. Connaughton, of course, has the championship experience and always brings a higher level of athleticism.

Still, don’t count Green out. He continues to fight and has shown some talent in him. It’s a rotation spot he’s fighting for now, but who knows? This could be a debut concert in the very near future.