Former Knicks draft pick Jericho Sims seemed poised to get a bigger role with the Milwaukee Bucks this season, signing a new two-year deal with the team after center Brook Lopez departed in free agency to join the Los Angeles Clippers. However, his role with the team now appears uncertain after they officially signed Myles Turner to a four-year, $107 million deal.
Sims was selected in the second round of the 2021 NBA draft with the 58th pick by the Knicks, eventually signing a three-year deal with New York in the summer of 2022. Last season, they shipped him to the Milwaukee Bucks during the trade deadline, part of a multi-team deal that landed them veteran guard Delon Wright.
Sims appeared in just 14 games for the Bucks, before tearing a ligament in his thumb that kept him out for the remainder of the season. Over those 14 games, Sims averaged 2.4 points, 0.8 assists, and 4.9 rebounds per game. He eventually made a return from injury in the playoffs, where he appeared in five games for the Bucks during their first-round loss to the Indiana Pacers.
Sims future looks shakier with Turner
After Lopez chose to take his talents to Los Angeles, it appeared Sims may be given an opportunity to step into a larger role for the team this season. However, the Bucks ultimately pivoted to land Turner in a blockbuster signing. Ultimately, the signing should limit Sims' minutes.
When Sims has been on the court during his brief NBA career, his atheism jumps out of the screen. He injects energy into the game during the minutes he is on the court and has a knack for drawing fouls due to his effort. His best trait may be his activity on the offensive glass, where he is one of the best per-minute offensive rebounds in the league, albeit in a small sample size.
He also is a versatile defender, able to come up on the level or block shots in the paint. His versatility on the end was one of the reasons he got playing time in the playoffs, considering Lopez isn't very agile, especially at this stage in his career where he is better utilized as a drop defender.
Considering Turner is both a good shot blocker and a lob threat, it is hard to see a scenario where Sims' minutes aren't cut down as a result. Ultimately, only time will tell what sort of role he is able to carve out, should he remain in Milwaukee for the entire season.