Bucks fans should personally thank the Orlando front office for two unintentional benefits they provided this offseason. First, the Magic traded Cole Anthony to Memphis, and Anthony agreed to a buyout to join the Bucks. Then, in free agency, they poached point guard Tyus Jones, a name previously linked to Milwaukee.
There seems to be a clear beneficiary from this combination of events. Despite Jones' poor performance, Anthony has produced a signature performance. It's early yet, but things could get better for the Bucks as the season progresses.
Bucks avoid Jones, exploit Orlando outcast Anthony
Anthony missed one game due to illness and didn't look like himself on night one against the Knicks. Although he shot just 2-for-7 from the field, he dished out nine assists. In Toronto, Anthony scored 23 points and 7 assists efficiently off the bench, providing the Bucks with the momentum they needed to maintain a 6-point victory. In three games, he averaged 12 points and 7 points per game while shooting 57.7% from the field.
Jones, on the other hand, hasn't had much of an impact on the Magic. Instead, he's more like a ghost. In five games, Jones averaged 1.8 points and assists. He made 4 of 16 shots, including 1 of 9 three-pointers. The most concerning part isn't his inefficiency, but his lack of involvement in the offense. His minutes per game have declined since the start of the season, dropping to just nine minutes against Detroit.
Reliable three-point shooting and high-level passing skills are two of Jones' characteristics as a free agent. His three-point shooting percentage has exceeded 41% in each of the past two seasons. He averaged 7.3 assists per game with the Wizards in 2023-24, and last year in Phoenix averaged 5.3 assists per game despite playing fewer minutes in a top-heavy lineup. Jones is considered a liability on defense, but his offensive skills should make up for that. So far, his redeeming qualities have not been found in Orlando.
Anthony isn’t a lockdown defender — far from it — but he puts in the effort. Three games is a negligible sample size, but he has a defensive rating of -1.7 so far, according to Cleaning the Glass. The Bucks hit him hard in free agency because he's an offensive creator that fits the Bucks' need for a second-unit engine.
Despite his reduced role, Anthony scored more than 20 points nine times during the 24-25 season, including a season-high 35 points. Jones can find teammates and knock down threes, but he won't create his own shot the way Anthony did in warmups.
While Jones looked lost, Anthony thrived in the Bucks' scheme. It does look like they made the right decision, but they wouldn't have been able to do it without Orlando's help. From one Eastern Conference foe to another, thank you for your support.