Bucks GM Breaks Silence on Controversial First-Round Pick

The Milwaukee Bucks stunned many fans when they drafted AJ Johnson with their first-round pick in Wednesday’s NBA Draft. 

Every rumor around the Bucks this offseason has been that Milwaukee is looking into every avenue to improve their chances to compete for an NBA championship.

That’s why drafting Johnson – a player who hardly played in the Australian National Basketball League last season – was puzzling, to say the least.

Bucks GM Jon Horst Praises Selection of AJ Johnson

There’s a good chance that Johnson isn’t a big contributing factor this upcoming season, and that’s basically what Horst hinted at in his post-draft press conference.

“We’re really excited about AJ,” Horst said, as reported by Brew Hoop. “When he plays and how quickly he develops, how quickly he earns his opportunities, to be determined. But this is a player with great athleticism, speed, talent…love his mentality, toughness, so we’re really excited.”

It’s hard not to wonder what the motivation was behind this pick. Was it a hedge, banking on having a promising player in the pipeline in case Milwaukee doesn’t contend the way they hope to?

Does the front office think Johnson can develop quickly enough to help out in a big way this season or next?

It seems to be a mixture of both. 

"When you get in that part of the draft, the assessment we had to make, here’s a handful of guys that are win-now and here’s a handful of guys that maybe have a higher developing curve or a longer runway, I think he’s a combination of both. He has in my mind – obviously, in our group’s mind – a defined and unique skill set in speed and athleticism."

- Bucks GM Jon Horst

Then, Milwaukee doubled down on their developmental picks in the second round, selecting G League Ignite player Tyler Smith with the No. 33 overall pick. 

Johnson and Smith are both just 19-years-old and neither has much seasoning beyond high school basketball. 

It seems to be a reach that these two players will be playing big minutes down the stretch for Milwaukee this season. 

But luckily for Bucks fans, the offseason is far from over, and these draft picks almost certainly indicate that another move is coming.  

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