Bucks Zone

GAME DAY PREVIEW: The Milwaukee Bucks start their Summer League campaign versus Denver Nuggets

Newly-hired coach Adrian Griffin will be steering the MIlwaukee Bucks in the pre-season tournament.
Matthew Dugandzic|
© Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports

In this story:

Milwaukee BucksDenver Nuggets

The Milwaukee Bucks start their campaign in the 2023 NBA Summer League when they take on the Denver Nuggets on Thursday at the Thomas and Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Milwaukee’s young guns, led by Andre Jackson Jr. and Chris Livingston, will try to make a good account of themselves in front of the team’s newly-hired head coach Adrian Griffin.

Getting to work early

It may just be a pre-season tournament, but Griffin will be there calling the shots as he tries to get acclimatized with his new role in a Milwaukee team that is raring to bounce back from a disappointing finish last season.

Griffin was brought in to replace Mike Budenholzer, who was fired shortly after the Bucks were eliminated in only the first round of the playoffs last season.

Aside from Jackson Jr. and Livingston, the 36th and 58th overall picks in the recent rookie draft, the Bucks will also parade MarJon Beauchamp, AJ Green, and Lindell Wigginton, who were in action for the Bucks in the previous regular season.

Milwaukee will also have undrafted acquisitions Omari Moore and Drew Timme, alongside a plethora of young guns trying to find their way into the league in Vin Baker Jr., Pariss Bass, Tyler Bey, Tyler Cook, Aliou Diarra, Tacko Fall, Jazian Gortmant, Alan Griffin, Nico Mannion, Iverson Molinar, Anthony Tarke and Craig Randal II.

NBA Champs to test own young recruits

The newly crowned NBA champions Nuggets will also get to test the mettle of their young prospects. Denver will be led by Julian Strawther, who was selected as the 29th overall pick by the Indiana Pacers but was traded to the Nuggets.

The Nuggets will also have Jalen Pickett, the 32nd pick who was traded by Indiana to Denver. Hunter Tyson, the 37th overall pick that the Nuggets acquired from the Oklahoma City Thunder will also see action for Denver.

Completing the Nuggets lineup are Armaan Franklin, Andrew Funk, Collin Gillespie, Grant Golden, Ismael Kamagate, Aamir Simms, Taz Sherman, Mark Smith, Cassius Stanley, and Peyton Watson.

Developing the youngsters is imperative over winning, but coach Griffin will definitely look to add his first W in the books, as we are set for a great matchup between a ton of young talent.

Published
Matthew Dugandzic
MATTHEW DUGANDZIC

Matthew finished his bachelor's degree in Economics (Management) at the University of Split and got his master's degree in the same field at the University of Zadar. Whether it is playing the game as an undersized 6'3'' power forward or simply watching it, Matthew can't get enough of it. After all, he has been an avid NBA fan since the 2000s. But don't get him wrong, as Matthew still loves the old-school NBA and is a true student of the game. From on-court moments to off-court stuff, whether it's about the stars of modern-day basketball or legends of the game, Matthew covers every category of the NBA world and basketball in general, as long as it makes for an engaging and exciting story.