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Milwaukee Bucks: 5 goals for D.J. Wilson’s rookie season

By Josh Cornelissen

TARRYTOWN, NY - AUGUST 11: DJ Wilson #5 of the Milwaukee Bucks poses for a photo during the 2017 NBA Rookie Photo Shoot at MSG training center on August 11, 2017 in Tarrytown, New York. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Brian Babineau/Getty Images)
TARRYTOWN, NY - AUGUST 11: DJ Wilson #5 of the Milwaukee Bucks poses for a photo during the 2017 NBA Rookie Photo Shoot at MSG training center on August 11, 2017 in Tarrytown, New York. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Brian Babineau/Getty Images) /
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LAS VEGAS, NV – JULY 7: D.J. Wilson #5 of the Milwaukee Bucks dunks against the Cleveland Cavaliers on July 7, 2017 at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images)
LAS VEGAS, NV – JULY 7: D.J. Wilson #5 of the Milwaukee Bucks dunks against the Cleveland Cavaliers on July 7, 2017 at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images) /

1. Contribute in a playoff series win

The Milwaukee Bucks are not an organization caught without an identity, as so many other teams find themselves. They are a young group with a rising superstar that is out to win a playoff series this season, in order to build momentum for contention in the years to come.

D.J. Wilson is not a crucial piece of those plans. The organization has a solid lineup around Giannis Antetokounmpo, with two-way wings such as Khris Middleton and Tony Snell, sharpshooting point guards in Malcolm Brogdon and Matthew Dellavedova, and a cadre of very different big men in Thon Maker, Greg Monroe, and John Henson.

That doesn’t mean they are not open to contributions from elsewhere, and D.J. Wilson could fill a need for the Bucks in the postseason. Last year they were unable to play Mirza Teletovic or Spencer Hawes at the 4 in the playoffs due to defensive limitations in their aggressive scheme. Antetokounmpo soaked up most of the minutes, and head coach Jason Kidd was forced to lean on him for more and more minutes as their first-round series with Toronto advanced.

Wilson could be that player to allow Antetokounmpo to find rest, even in high-pressure situations. If he can prove to the coaching staff he is up to the defensive challenge, Wilson can keep the system flowing and play the 8-10 minutes per game that the Bucks need to keep their star fresh and to win a playoff series for the first time since 2001.

Next: Philadelphia 76ers: 5 goals for Markelle Fultz’s rookie season

In seasons to come Wilson will aspire to a greater impact, but this season he just needs to get his feet wet. Hitting reasonable benchmarks on offense and defense, and sticking around until this team either loses in the playoffs or wins the title, will show he has what it takes to justify his selection and to be a force in the league for years to come.

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