With NBA teams in the process of finalizing their rosters for the 2025-26 season opener, the Milwaukee Bucks were one of the teams with important decisions to make regarding some of their recent draft picks. Needing to get down to 15 standard contracts, the Bucks opted to keep Andre Jackson Jr. and Amir Coffey, and cut Tyler Smith, as per ClutchPoints’ NBA insider Brett Siegel.
In addition to making the final roster, Andre Jackson Jr. will also have his $2.2 million salary guaranteed for the upcoming season. Jackson becomes the only Bucks’ draft pick since Giannis Antetokounmpo since 2013 to still be on the team roster.
Smith was drafted by the Bucks with the No. 33 overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, and is out of the league for now after only one season. In addition to Smith, the Bucks also drafted AJ Johnson in 2024, but he was shipped out to the Washington Wizards as part of the Kyle Kuzma, Khris Middleton swap.
With Jackson, he was the No. 36 overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, and his role has shifted at times over the past couple of seasons. Under Doc Rivers, Jackson has been a regular in the rotation.
Last season, Jackson appeared in 67 games, including 43 starts, at a little over 14 minutes per game. He averaged 3.4 points, 2.7 rebounds and 1.2 assists with splits of 47.7 percent shooting from the field, 39.5 percent shooting from the three-point line and 50 percent shooting from the free-throw line.
During the Bucks’ opening round playoff loss to the Indiana Pacers, Jackson’s role was cut as he appeared in only two games at a little over two minutes.
In Coffey’s case, he signed a non-guaranteed contract with the Bucks in the offseason, and was able to make the opening night roster. Coffey has familiarity with Rivers having played for him with the LA Clippers. Up until this point, Coffey had spent his entire career with the Clippers.
Last season, Coffey appeared in 72 games, including 13 starts, for the Clippers at a little over 24 minutes per game. He averaged a career-high 9.7 points, 2.2 rebounds and 1.1 assists with splits of 47.1 percent shooting from the field, 40.9 percent shooting from the three-point line and 89.1 percent shooting from the free-throw line.
