Another Texas Longhorns Forward Signs With Milwaukee Bucks

The Milwaukee Bucks have been busy in the first few days of NBA free agency retooling their roster. The team lost center Brook Lopez, waived point guard Damian Lillard, and made a big splash in signing former Texas Longhorns center Myles Turner.

The team's latest move came shortly after the Turner news, as ESPN's Shams Charania reported that former Texas Longhorns big man Jericho Sims has signed a two-year deal to return to Milwaukee, which includes a player option in the second season.

Sims played four years with the Longhorns from 2017 to 2021. In his four years in Austin, Sims played in a total of 119 games while averaging 6.6 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 0.8 blocks in 20.5 minutes per game and garnered honorable mention All-Big 12 selections in both his junior and senior seasons. In his senior season, he was a part of the 2020-2021 team which won the Big 12 conference tournament championship. Sims was drafted as the No. 58 pick by the New York Knicks in the 2021 NBA Draft.

Sims adds valuable depth to the Milwaukee Bucks' Second Unit

The Bucks acquired Sims via trade from the Knicks during the regular season at the trade deadline, which was a part of a multi-team trade that centered around the Bucks trading forward Khris Middleton to the Washington Wizards in exchange for forward Kyle Kuzma.

Sims played in 53 regular-season games and saw action in all five of the Bucks' playoff games, averaging 11.9 minutes per game, 1.8 points, 3.7 rebounds, and .4 blocks per game in limited game time. Now paired up with fellow Longhorn Myles Turner, Sims gives the Bucks center rotation a different look when Turner is not out on the floor as more of an athletic lob threat compared to Turner being more of a three-point shooter and floor spacing center.

As mentioned the Bucks will have to go into next season with a new look starting five after losing starting center Brook Lopez in free agency to the Los Angeles Clippers and waiving starting point guard Damian Lillard to make enough cap space to sign Turner to a big four year $107 million deal. In addition to bringing back Sims, the Bucks have added forward Gary Harris on a two-year deal, and re-signed Kevin Porter Jr., Taurean Prince, and Gary Trent Jr. on two-year deals.

The Bucks are looking to maximize their 30-year-old superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo with a different core around him to try and make another championship push. And while Sims may not see the floor in a large number of minutes, the athletic big man could carve out some much-needed production for Milwaukee.