Milwaukee Bucks: Instant reactions to signing Jemerrio Jones to camp deal

Despite the preseason being in full swing, the Milwaukee Bucks are not done making roster moves just yet.

According to Spotrac’s Keith Smith, the Bucks have singed Jemerrio Jones to a training camp deal. At first glance, that name might sound somewhat familiar, which it should, considering Jones has a history with the organization already. They previously signed Jones to an Exhibit 10 contract back in October of 2019, just to waive him shortly after. While that might seem head-scratching, Jones would stick around, signing on to play with the Wisconsin Herd, the Bucks’ G-League affiliate. Jones left a strong impression during his time with the Herd with solid play, averaging 10.8 points on .554/.218/.558 shooting splits, 12.1 rebounds, 4.5 assists per game across 42 appearances.

Perhaps that previous familiarity helped this signing gain some traction, as the Buck would like to get another look at the 26-years-old with a few preseason games left to play. Although it is not an earth-shattering signing, Jones could still potentially help this Milwaukee team.

What does Jemerrio Jones bring to the table for the Milwaukee Bucks after signing a training camp deal?

What certainly stands out the most with Jones is his prolific rebounding ability for a player of his size. Despite standing at just 6-foot-5 and weighing 175 pounds, Jones was a force on the glass during his time with the Herd during the 2019-20 season. Hauling in an eye-catching 12.1 boards over those 42 games, the forward rightfully caught some attention. Notably, he hauled down an impressive four offensive rebounds per game, constantly creating extra opportunities for his team on that side of the basketball.

The Bucks are obviously a team that emphasizes rebounding that basketball, having finished second in rebounds per game last season with 48.1 per game. Jones is a player that would fit alongside the rest of the frontcourt with his persistence on the glass on both sides of the ball. That display of energy and grit likely played a massive part in the decision to bring the forward back to Wisconsin for a second go-round.

While the rebounding is excellent, one area that Jones has struggled throughout his career has been with shooting. As evidenced by his aforementioned shooting splits, Jones shot just 21.8 percent from 3-point range with the Herd and a brutal 55.8 percent from the free throw line, numbers that undoubtedly do not jump off the page. While he shot an impressive 65.2 percent on 2-point attempts with the Herd, the Bucks are always scouring the market for floor spacing, which Jones does not exactly help.

With 101 G-League games under his belt across three seasons with the South Bay Lakers, the Herd, and the Deleware Blue Coats, Jones has spent most of his time looking to prove himself worthy on an NBA opportunity. He briefly got the chance with the Los Angeles Lakers during the 2018-19 season, where he appeared in six games for the team. That tenacious rebounding of his was on full display in his limited action as he hauled down 8.2 boards per game in that timeframe.

If Jones will help the Bucks after inking this deal, it will be by adding another strong rebounding presence in the frontcourt. His familiarity with the organization will be an interesting factor, but they are clearly high on the 26-year-old, and the potential is there.

Time will tell how much action Jones gets with the Bucks over the next few days.