What To Expect From Delon Wright in Milwaukee

Milwaukee lacked defense on the perimeter last season, but the recent signing of Delon Wright should help them ahead of the 2024-25 season.

Cody Smith | Aug 29, 2024

Philadelphia 76ers forward Paul Reed (44) controls a loose ball against Miami Heat guard Delon Wright (4) during the second quarter of a play-in game of the 2024 NBA playoffs at Wells Fargo Center. / Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

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Milwaukee Bucks

MILWAUKEE — One of the Bucks' biggest priorities coming into this offseason was finding complimentary role players who can bring an edge on the defensive side of the ball.

They found that when they signed 6-foot-5 guard Delon Wright to a one-year minimum deal earlier this offseason.

Wright, a 32-year-old NBA veteran known for his ability to come up with steals and force deflections, is one of the Bucks' latest key additions for the 2024-25 season. He's a defensive-minded piece that can play a key role off the bench.

Last season, he split time with the Washington Wizards and the Miami Heat. The former Utah star finished 2023-24 with averages of 4.5 points, 1.8 rebounds and 2.5 assists per contest while shooting 39.4% from the field and 36.8% from the three-point range in 47 games.

One of Wright's greatest attributes is his ability to generate steals consistently. As a taller guard with a 6-foot-7.5 wingspan, he's tall and lanky, which allows him to disrupt passing lanes and create deflections. Over the course of his nine-year NBA career, Wright has averaged 1.2 steals per game. His knack for steals has even helped him rank 14th in the NBA for total steals (425) over the past five seasons.

Wright's defensive attributes can bring immense value to the Bucks. Last season, Milwaukee finished 19th in team defensive rating (115.8 DRTG). For context, team defensive rating is calculated by the number of points allowed per 100 possessions by a team. It was a steep decline from when the Bucks finished fourth in team defensive rating two seasons ago.

Since being drafted 20th overall in the 2015 NBA Draft, Wright has amassed 620 steals, which ranks 17th-most by a guard in that timeframe. Being that there are only four other players ahead of him that haven't earned an All-Star nod, Wright seems to find himself in good company as one of the most solid defenders in the leaguer despite being a role player.

Outside of his defensive prowess, Wright should be expected to make some contributions as an outside shooting threat as well. For his career, Wright has hit 35.4 percent of his three-pointers. His best season came during his rookie campaign in 2015-16 when he finished at 38.5 percent from downtown, but it was only on 13 attempts. As for his worst season, that came back in 2018-19 when he shot a measly 29.8 percent on his threes.

Despite being a spotty shooter at times, Wright is coming off a solid season where he shot 36.8 percent from deep between his time with the Wizards and Heat. As someone who should get plenty of open looks playing alongside Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard, Wright could be in store for one of his better shooting seasons from beyond the arc.

He has bounced around the league, playing nine seasons for the Toronto Raptors, Atlanta Hawks, Dallas Mavericks, Detroit Pistons, Sacramento Kings and Memphis Grizzlies, Miami Heat, and Washington Wizards, Wright will be incentivized to play well enough to be resigned by the Bucks next offseason.

His career averages are 7.0 points, 3.1 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 1.2 steals per contest while shooting 45.1% from the field and 35.4% from the three-point range in 508 regular season games. He has also appeared in 41 NBA playoff games (one start).

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