MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN – APRIL 13: Tyler Smith #21 of the Milwaukee Bucks reacts to a three point shot during the second half of a game against the Detroit Pistons at Fiserv Forum on April 13, 2025 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. 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 Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
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The Milwaukee Bucks want competition up and down their roster this season, and that battle begins in training camp with three open roster spots up for grabs.
Camp tipped off Tuesday in Milwaukee, where the team will spend three days before traveling to Miami for another three, leading into their preseason opener on October 6th.
That stretch will give fringe players their first real chance to prove they belong.
On paper, the Bucks have 15 guaranteed contracts. In reality, not every one of those players is locked into a roster spot.
For the first time in years, Milwaukee is operating below the luxury tax and the first apron. Their 15 guaranteed contracts plus the stretched salaries of Damian Lillard and Vasilije Micić total $172.6 million—about $15 million below the tax line. That financial cushion allows the Bucks to eat salary and keep a non-guaranteed player if they outperform someone with a guaranteed deal.
As The Athletic’s Eric Nehm put it, “they (the Bucks) are far enough from the luxury-tax line that they would have plenty of cap space if they wanted to cut a player on a small guaranteed contract and, instead, roster one of the players on a non-guaranteed contract.”
So, who’s in the fight? Here are five players battling for those final roster spots (and no, Thanasis Antetokounmpo isn’t one of them).
Gary Harris (Guaranteed)
Harris is the safest name on this list, but not untouchable. He signed the Jon Horst special this summer—a one-year deal with a player option for next season.
Once a reliable two-way guard, his game has cratered. His playing time dropped from 28.4 minutes and 11.1 points per game in 2021-22 to just 14.8 minutes and 3.0 points last year.
Camp will determine whether there’s still fuel in the tank. If he shows signs of life, he’s a solid depth piece on the wing. If not, Milwaukee can move on.
Chris Livingston (Guaranteed)
Livingston’s summer has been a whirlwind. He was waived before Summer League after two underwhelming seasons, then played well enough in Las Vegas to earn a new guaranteed deal.
Would the Bucks really cut him again? That may depend less on his on-court play—which hasn’t been NBA caliber—and more on Horst’s relationship with Livingston’s agent, Rich Paul of Klutch Sports.
Amir Coffey (Non-Guaranteed)
If there’s a favorite among the non-guaranteed group, it’s Coffey. At 6-foot-7, he brings the size and length Milwaukee lacks on the wing, something AJ Green, Gary Trent Jr., and Harris can’t provide.
He’s also coming off a career year with the Clippers, averaging 9.7 points on 40 percent shooting from deep in 24.3 minutes per game. If that production carries over, he won’t just make the roster—he’ll push for regular rotation minutes.
Tyler Smith (Guaranteed)
Smith enters camp on the hottest seat. He hasn’t proven himself NBA-ready, struggling with the strength to play power forward and the agility to slide to the three.
Complicating matters further is that Milwaukee’s frontcourt is stacked. Giannis Antetokounmpo and Myles Turner will soak up heavy minutes, Bobby Portis will be a staple in the rotation, and Kyle Kuzma and Jericho Sims are still in the mix.
That depth makes Smith the most expendable of the guaranteed group.
Andre Jackson Jr. (Partially Guaranteed)
The Bucks restructured Jackson’s deal this summer, pushing his full guarantee date to the first regular-season game (though he still carries an $800K partial guarantee).
He’s a long shot. Jackson’s defensive instincts are intriguing, but his offense hasn’t developed, and foul trouble limits his impact on the other end.
Still, he’ll get one more chance in camp to show he belongs.
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/briansampson/2025/10/01/5-milwaukee-bucks-fighting-for-final-3-roster-spots-in-training-camp/
