News broke Monday afternoon that Milwaukee Bucks draft pick Bogolijub Markovic will return to Serbia to continue developing with the Mega Basket club. The 19-year-old big man enjoyed a productive 2024 season there before being selected 47th overall by the Bucks.
The pending departure of Markovic is not surprising, as reports indicated the possibility of a “stash” year overseas as soon as he was drafted. It does bode well, though, for the NBA outlook of Summer League teammate Pete Nance, a 6-foot-10 forward currently on a two-way deal.
Pete Nance has made most of short Milwaukee Bucks showcase
A former undrafted free agent, Nance split his second season between Philadelphia and Milwaukee. He also appeared in two games for the Wisconsin Herd, Milwaukee’s G League affiliate.
In six contests for the Bucks last year, Nance really had two main showcases: 14 minutes against New Orleans during a Giannis Antetokounmpo absence and 43 minutes against Detroit to wrap up the regular-season schedule.
Nance impressed in his brief audition, contributing positively in both games while totaling 21 points, 11 rebounds, and seven assists. Versus the Pistons, he went 5-9 on threes.
The Bucks also saw him in a game against the 76ers in January.
He backed up those performances with a superb Summer League showing. Playing well on either end of the floor, Nance reached double figures every game and demonstrated a consistent 3-point shot, going 9-22 from beyond the arc overall.
One thing he can work on is defending without fouling, as he was whistled frequently in his last three outings.
As the 15-man roster stands now, Nance is unlikely to win a spot to start the season. Chris Livingston, Thanasis Antetokounmpo, and Andre Jackson Jr. seem to be the primary candidates for the last two slots, barring free agent or trade additions. More probably, Nance will enter opening night with one of the three two-way contracts the Bucks can carry alongside their regular unit.
Especially with Markovic out of the picture, there may be bigger opportunities before too long. First, it is very possible that either Jackson or Livingston, whoever makes the initial cut, fails to impress the team in the early going. There are concerns over each player’s game and Livingston, in particular, has not shown much in the NBA.
A G League demotion for one of the above and a promotion for Nance is one avenue to NBA playing time off the end of the Bucks bench.
Nance could take Tyler Smith’s roster spot due to proven growth and maturity
There is another possibility, one that makes more positional sense than a Nance-for-Livingston swap.
Although many around the organization are excited for Tyler Smith’s potential, for whatever it’s worth he no-showed in Summer League and did not look great with the Herd last year. Unless the Milwaukee Bucks bring in an established player externally, it seems somewhat of a stretch that he would be an outright roster cut, but what is noteworthy is that he’s done nothing to improve his stock or job security. He’s only 20, but the franchise is invested in win-now mode and can’t afford to pay for player development in the form of wins and losses.
If Smith doesn’t rebound substantially in the preseason, he could begin the year in the G League in favor of someone like Nance. As a natural power forward, Nance would fit easily into that 13th or 14th roster spot as a backup big (Thanasis would be 15th by default as mostly an energy guy). Rather than demoting Livingston or Jackson, the Bucks would hold onto either wing player at a position where they lack disposable depth.
Whether that happens to begin the season or later on, Nance could get the chance to stick around for good if he impresses, even rendering Smith expendable as a trade sweetener. At 25 years old, he may be readier to contribute to the team’s immediate goal of contending during Giannis’s prime. Including his five-year college career, he has a good deal more basketball under his belt than Smith does.
No, there isn’t a substantial frontcourt opportunity behind Antetokounmpo, Myles Turner, Bobby Portis, Jericho Sims, and Kyle Kuzma if the Bucks use Kuz as a backup four. But Nance could see a greater role during injury absences and potentially force his way into the regular rotation if he plays well enough. Who knows, Kuzma might be gone by the trade deadline.
With Markovic headed across the pond, an unimpressive summer from a less experienced Smith, and a lack of clearcut fits for the last two roster slots, Nance will have a decent shot to prove himself if the cards fall right in 2025-26.
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