Andre

Jackson Jr.

Middleton won’t play on Tuesday, so there is a chance that he makes his season debut against Washington on Saturday. It’s unclear how large of a role he’ll play immediately, and it is safe to assume that he will be on a restriction and miss back-to-backs. Andre Jackson Jr. and Gary Trent Jr. will likely lose out on some minutes when Middleton returns.

Jackson had his best game of the season on Saturday by a significant margin. He established career-highs in points and 3-pointers, reaching double figures in the former category for the first time this season. The Hornets essentially dared Jackson to shoot, and he was able to make them pay. He’ll have to continue to do this to gain the respect of opposing defenses and become a viable option in fantasy leagues.

Trent and Jackson were initially probable for Tuesday’s game, so the status upgrades were expected. Jackson should retain his spot in the starting lineup, with Trent being one of the first substitutes off the bench. Neither player needs to be rostered in most fantasy leagues.

Both wings are expected to be available on Tuesday, with Jackson Jr. having taken the starting shooting guard spot from Trent Jr. just a few games ago. However, regardless of who has started, neither has contributed in fantasy basketball this season.

Jackson’s availability is more impactful, as he recently replaced Gary Trent Jr. in the starting lineup. While there’s no need to pick up Jackson in most fantasy leagues, he’s worth observing and even adding to deep-league watchlists. As for Rollins, he’s managed to earn some backup point guard minutes recently, but that isn’t enough to merit being rostered in fantasy leagues.

One game after being demoted to the bench in favor of Jackson, Trent sat out Friday’s loss to the Knicks. Jackson has started Milwaukee’s last two games. While GTJ offers more scoring punch, neither is worth rostering in most leagues.

Making his second straight start, Jackson did not begin the third quarter on the floor due to a hip pointer suffered during the first half. He played two minutes in the fourth, but that isn’t enough time to do much. AJ Green (nine points and three 3-pointers in 26 minutes) started the third quarter and could be in the mix to start if Jackson is not available for Sunday’s game against the Celtics. Another option is Gary Trent Jr., provided he’s available after not playing on Friday.

Bucks coach Doc Rivers changed the starting lineup for Thursday’s game, replacing Gary Trent Jr. with Jackson. The second-year wing may not have offered much as a scorer, but the defensive activity (and four steals) made a difference. However, the Jazz aren’t the best opposition to use as a measuring stick, so fantasy managers will learn more when the Bucks visit the Knicks on Friday. As for Trent, he only played eight minutes, so he’s safe to drop in most leagues.

Jackson Jr. logged 25 minutes in Monday’s loss to Cleveland and posted a respectable 7/7/2 line with a block and two triples. Milwaukee is presumably looking to mix things up after a disastrous 1-6 start to the season. Fantasy managers looking for a dart throw could certainly do worse than Jackson Jr., especially on a short, three-game Thursday slate.

Jackson suffered the injury during Tuesday’s loss to the Clippers and will not play again during summer league in Las Vegas. The procedure was successful, and the Bucks expect their 2023 second-round pick to be healthy when training camp begins in September. Jackson did not get the run needed to provide tangible fantasy value as a rookie, and that’s unlikely to change in 2024-25.