Bucks' Summer League Roster Features Notable Absence

It's an exciting week to be a basketball fan as the 2024 NBA Summer League is set to begin on Friday. The Milwaukee Bucks' official summer roster was revealed on Friday and while fans can't wait to see the likes of rookies AJ Johnson and Tyler Smith in action, some people couldn't help but notice that one key name was noticeably absent from the list.

Bucks News: AJ Green Left Off Summer League Roster

The biggest absentee on the Bucks' Summer League roster is none other than A.J. Green. The former two-time MVC Player of the Year cracked the roster in back-to-back summers, however, the fact that he won't participate this year suggests that he's officially solidified his spot in Milwaukee's lineup going forward.

While it's the norm for players who are Green's age, 24, to play in the Summer League, his absence isn't all that surprising when you think about it. He barely even played in last year's tournament, averaging just 10.3 minutes of action across three games. A similar opportunity likely wouldn't make much of an impact on his development.

Secondly, Green is more of a known commodity compared to some of his teammates. The 3-and-D specialist averaged 10.5 minutes across 91 games in his first two NBA seasons, averaging 4.5 points, 1.1 rebounds, and 0.5 steals per outing. He's cemented himself as one of the Bucks' most reliable shooters by averaging 1.2 threes made with a 41.2% success rate.

Even though he hasn't seen the biggest opportunities, Green's small sample size is promising. Now that head coach Doc Rivers is going to have a full offseason with the roster, it's possible that he's confident that the former Northern Iowa guard is ready to handle a bigger role.

With Malik Beasley — last year's starting shooting guard — out of the picture, Green could open the season as the Bucks' No. 1 SG with a strong training camp.

Green's continued development would certainly help Milwaukee win its second Larry O'Brien Trophy in five seasons. For now, the Bucks head into Summer League with the eighth-best 2025 NBA Championship odds (+1500) on FanDuel Sportsbook.

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