MILWAUKEE — The biggest offseason addition for the Milwaukee Buck was Australian forward Joe Ingles, who is reportedly targeting Monday, Dec. 19 for his return to action following an ACL injury suffered last year.
According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, Ingles is expected to partake in a five-on-five workout session on Saturday to determine whether he’s eligible be cleared by the Milwaukee Bucks training staff. If he’s given the green-light, the 35-year-old would play his first game in 10 months against the No. 2 team in the Western Conference, the New Orleans Pelicans.
Ingles, an 8-year NBA veteran, spent his entire career with the Utah Jazz before being traded to the Portland Trail Blazers during his rehabilitation. The Milwaukee Bucks cashed in on their mid-level exception by signing Ingles to a one-year, $6.5 million deal to bolster their depth on the wing.
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Although he’s not the fastest or strongest player on the court, Ingles is known for dissecting his opponents with sheer wit. He’s a crafty ball-handler and passer at 6-foot-8, and he is a 40.8% 3-point shooter for his career. Ingles was oftentimes tasked with defending the best perimeter player for the opposing team during his time in Utah, and he’ll likely offer similar prowess off the bench for the Bucks this year.
During his last four seasons in the NBA, Ingles’ teams scored 5.8 points per 100 possessions more with him on the court versus when he was on the bench.
The Milwaukee Bucks could use all of the help they can get coming off a devastating 41-point loss in Memphis on Thursday night. Despite the loss, they still stand at 20-8 for the second-best record in the NBA. All the while, the team has dealt with injuries and rehab for key players like Ingles, Holiday and former All-Star Khris Middleton.
Milwaukee has been a middle-of-the-pack team in 3-point efficiency this year, nailing just 34.7% of their attempts from deep. Implementing a dangerous shooter like Ingles to a Mike Budenholzer-led system that emphasized quality outside looks and unselfish, team-based passing should help everyone involved get back on track.
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