Before the Milwaukee Bucks begin their pivotal 2025-26 NBA campaign on Wednesday night against the Washington Wizards, they must finalize their roster. While many casual fans may not pay much attention to who rounds out the team’s bench, this decision holds significant importance.
Another early playoff exit could mark the end of the Giannis Antetokounmpo era. To avoid that fate, the franchise must address its persisting supporting cast issues. Therefore, the question of “who will make the team” carries more weight in Milwaukee than perhaps any other NBA city.
The organization is hard at work trying to sort everything out before opening tip-off. Recent activities suggest they are fully engaged in the process. According to NBA insider Michael Scotto, “Over the weekend, the Bucks gauged the trade market on Smith, league sources told HoopsHype. Should Milwaukee not find a suitable trade partner before Monday’s 5:00 p.m. ET roster cutdown deadline, Smith is expected to be waived, league sources said.”
Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints had previously reported the team’s anticipated decision to part ways with Tyler Smith, the No. 33 overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft. Smith was believed to be competing with fellow former second-round pick Andre Jackson Jr. and veteran Amir Coffey for a roster spot.
It is practical for Bucks general manager Jon Horst to seek potential trade partners, but the league appears hesitant to give up a future asset for the largely unproven Smith. The former Overtime Elite forward averaged just 2.9 points on 48 percent shooting in only 5.3 minutes per contest last season. Given the small sample size, evaluating his true potential remains difficult.
Again, Milwaukee cannot afford to miss on this move. There will presumably be a team that at least considers adding the 6-foot-11 Tyler Smith to its G League roster. The Bucks need to think long and hard about the likelihood of the 20-year-old fitting into their long-term plans, because they may not get a do-over.
https://clutchpoints.com/nba/milwaukee-bucks/bucks-rumors-trade-milwaukee-trying-make-before-roster-deadline