[Jr. ROXASParticipant]

 

Ok, so it is no secret that this year, the bucks are finally too bad to be just their usual mediocre, number 8 seeded team. They are in an excellent position to land a top 5 pick in next year’s stacked draft class.

 My question is who do you guys think will be the best player for the bucks to draft? Obviously wiggins and parker come in to mind first, but both guys play the SF position, which is the only position the bucks have a player that has allstar potential (Giannis Antetokounmpo). If they get drafted, it will definitely hinder the development of Giannis, who is having a great rookie season thus far showing flashes of the potential star player some scouts have envisioned him to be. 

So will the Bucks still take best talent available in Parker/Wiggins and relegate Giannis into having a bench role again or will they pick other potential top 5 picks like Randle or Smart? If they take Randle/ Embiid, this will put Henson (who is the only other Buck who flashes massive potential). If they decide to start Henson with either the two though, Sanders would be coming off the bench thereby absolutely throwing the 11 million a year salary down the drain. 

Smart and Exum both seem like logical choices though i feel both will be somewhat of a reach if selected in the top 3. (Just my honest opinion.) If they end up drafting either of them, they would be left with the choice of moving knight or mayo to the bench. Personally, I rather have them draft Exum, though a reach, so they have a potential superstar to build around and be the face of the franchise. This would leave Giannis with the opportunity to start as a sophomore and potentially have a breakout year. 

They would then have a lineup featuring an imposing defensive, massive potential frontcourt of Sanders, Henson and Giannis and an explosive of Knight and Exum with Mayo coming off the bench. These are just my thoughts as I really just am curious and excited on what the bucks since their future has never been brighter after being stuck in mediocrity for like, forever. (after the Ray Allen-Sam Cassell glory days)

 

 

 

[machu46Participant]

I think Wiggins and Parker can co-exist with Giannis.  Giannis is such a unique talent.  With his ball-handling ability, he could handle the ball as a guard for Milwaukee while Wiggins could play off of him and defend SGs.  Or if they got Parker, Parker could probably play as a small ball 4 ala Melo.  Some also believe that Giannis isn’t done growing yet, and that he may eventually end up being big enough to play PF while having the ability to handle the ball like a (hopefully) better version of Lamar Odom (and hopefully minus the mental stuff that LO has going on).

As a Bucks fan, my preferences in order are:

1. Wiggins

2. Parker

3. Randle – Henson can probably play the 4, or even the 5 when he adds some bulk, and then who knows what Milwaukee will do with Sanders.  I think both Henson and Sanders could compliment Randle though.

4. Embiid – Just such a good, raw talent.  I wouldn’t fault Milwaukee for taking a chance on him at all.  You can always move young pieces to get guys that fit around your stud prospects.  Much better to do that than drafting for need and ending up with a worse player.

5. Exum – Milwaukee has a decent-sized Australian following for some reason (I’m guessing because of Bogut, but I have no idea if it’s like a local thing or something) and Exum looks to have a ton of potential.  His shot needs work, but I think he can be a really good SG with some point abilities.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[machu46Participant]

I think Wiggins and Parker can co-exist with Giannis.  Giannis is such a unique talent.  With his ball-handling ability, he could handle the ball as a guard for Milwaukee while Wiggins could play off of him and defend SGs.  Or if they got Parker, Parker could probably play as a small ball 4 ala Melo.  Some also believe that Giannis isn’t done growing yet, and that he may eventually end up being big enough to play PF while having the ability to handle the ball like a (hopefully) better version of Lamar Odom (and hopefully minus the mental stuff that LO has going on).

As a Bucks fan, my preferences in order are:

1. Wiggins

2. Parker

3. Randle – Henson can probably play the 4, or even the 5 when he adds some bulk, and then who knows what Milwaukee will do with Sanders.  I think both Henson and Sanders could compliment Randle though.

4. Embiid – Just such a good, raw talent.  I wouldn’t fault Milwaukee for taking a chance on him at all.  You can always move young pieces to get guys that fit around your stud prospects.  Much better to do that than drafting for need and ending up with a worse player.

5. Exum – Milwaukee has a decent-sized Australian following for some reason (I’m guessing because of Bogut, but I have no idea if it’s like a local thing or something) and Exum looks to have a ton of potential.  His shot needs work, but I think he can be a really good SG with some point abilities.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[omphalosParticipant]

I’d take Embiid if I was Milwaukee and you were confident with Giannis at the 3 spot. Henson is a mobile stretch 4 with insane length, whereas Embiid is a classic back-to-basket beast at the 5. They are both good shot-blockers and would give you an extremely long, potent frontcourt.

Also, the Bucks need more than one player, and the fact that Embiid isn’t ready to star yet means they’ll be terrible for another year and get another high draft pick (possible Exum if he doesn’t declare this year).

 

 

[omphalosParticipant]

I’d take Embiid if I was Milwaukee and you were confident with Giannis at the 3 spot. Henson is a mobile stretch 4 with insane length, whereas Embiid is a classic back-to-basket beast at the 5. They are both good shot-blockers and would give you an extremely long, potent frontcourt.

Also, the Bucks need more than one player, and the fact that Embiid isn’t ready to star yet means they’ll be terrible for another year and get another high draft pick (possible Exum if he doesn’t declare this year).

 

 

[HitsterParticipant]

 I could see Wiggins or Parker existing alongside Giannis, one could play some time at SG around Mayo and as well as at SF or even maybe Giannis plays a little as a stretch PF as Parker could possibly be able to.

Smart would be a safe choice and Embiid perhaps the most interesting one but with Larry Sanders on a big deal and John Henson likely to be extended, there would not be an obvious starting role there. But as I always say there are a lot of frontcourt minutes to share around so there is no reason not to pick him.

Also a lot of us myself included often tend to look at reasons not to draft certain players due to other players being in situ, we think the current roster looks good or could develop but we often forget that if the team is near the top of the lottery then the roster cannot be performing that well. The real problem here and the Bucks are a perfect example, it is hard to guess how well a player lets say Giannis will progress, do you try to upgrade the same position ( lfor example taking Wiggins or Parker) or fill a bigger need with perhaps a slightly lesser player potentialwise lets say Smart or Exum.

The Bucks draft choice will of course depend where they finish and what the lottery balls throws their way.

From the overall team stats they are 30th in ppg and 29th in rebounds (slightly surprising as Henson has been prolific recently), 19th in assists per game but an impressive 9th in points allowed. So that may give us an indication of where the obvious weaknesses are and what their draft needs should be.

 

 

 

[HitsterParticipant]

 I could see Wiggins or Parker existing alongside Giannis, one could play some time at SG around Mayo and as well as at SF or even maybe Giannis plays a little as a stretch PF as Parker could possibly be able to.

Smart would be a safe choice and Embiid perhaps the most interesting one but with Larry Sanders on a big deal and John Henson likely to be extended, there would not be an obvious starting role there. But as I always say there are a lot of frontcourt minutes to share around so there is no reason not to pick him.

Also a lot of us myself included often tend to look at reasons not to draft certain players due to other players being in situ, we think the current roster looks good or could develop but we often forget that if the team is near the top of the lottery then the roster cannot be performing that well. The real problem here and the Bucks are a perfect example, it is hard to guess how well a player lets say Giannis will progress, do you try to upgrade the same position ( lfor example taking Wiggins or Parker) or fill a bigger need with perhaps a slightly lesser player potentialwise lets say Smart or Exum.

The Bucks draft choice will of course depend where they finish and what the lottery balls throws their way.

From the overall team stats they are 30th in ppg and 29th in rebounds (slightly surprising as Henson has been prolific recently), 19th in assists per game but an impressive 9th in points allowed. So that may give us an indication of where the obvious weaknesses are and what their draft needs should be.

 

 

 

[B-ball fanParticipant]

 Giannis has improved a lot so far over the course of his rookie year.  Pronbably just had his best overall game as a pro against the Bulls last night, looking really good on defense and using his supreme athleticism to his advantage.  The defensive issues and occasional confusion on the court that plagued him earlier in the year are starting to go away as he develops his niche in the league.  The Bucks have done a fantastic job of developing him and slowly giving him an opportunity to develop as a playmaker on offense.  I don’t see him losing minutes at this point.  

The Bucks really need a playmaker.  Brandon Knight is just a massive liability on offense and is basically the same player he was in college.  Luke Ridnour and Nate Wolters are the the team’s best pgs, but both of them are best suited as back-ups.  And Mayo and Neal are both mostly just scorers.  Mayo has looked pretty terrible this year, specializing in taking contested threes.  And Middleton is mostly an off-the-ball player.    

If the Bucks can get Exum or Smart, it would really help them, as they are going to be pretty bad until they get a playmaking guard.  That said, Giannis could coexist with Parker and Wiggins, as Giannis does have positional versatility and Wiggins and Parker are the two top prospects in the draft probably.  A Wiggins-Antetokounmpo combo on the wings would be downright scary in transition and would have some serious defensive potential. 

I don’t think Embiid would be as good a pick for them as for some other teams.  They would defininitely need to trade Sanders if they wanted to get him playing time and they already have a post-up big in Henson.  Not that Embiid-Henson couldn’t become a great big duo, but I worry that the lack of guard play combined with the team’s glut of young frontcourt players could hinder Embiid’s development.  

[B-ball fanParticipant]

 Giannis has improved a lot so far over the course of his rookie year.  Pronbably just had his best overall game as a pro against the Bulls last night, looking really good on defense and using his supreme athleticism to his advantage.  The defensive issues and occasional confusion on the court that plagued him earlier in the year are starting to go away as he develops his niche in the league.  The Bucks have done a fantastic job of developing him and slowly giving him an opportunity to develop as a playmaker on offense.  I don’t see him losing minutes at this point.  

The Bucks really need a playmaker.  Brandon Knight is just a massive liability on offense and is basically the same player he was in college.  Luke Ridnour and Nate Wolters are the the team’s best pgs, but both of them are best suited as back-ups.  And Mayo and Neal are both mostly just scorers.  Mayo has looked pretty terrible this year, specializing in taking contested threes.  And Middleton is mostly an off-the-ball player.    

If the Bucks can get Exum or Smart, it would really help them, as they are going to be pretty bad until they get a playmaking guard.  That said, Giannis could coexist with Parker and Wiggins, as Giannis does have positional versatility and Wiggins and Parker are the two top prospects in the draft probably.  A Wiggins-Antetokounmpo combo on the wings would be downright scary in transition and would have some serious defensive potential. 

I don’t think Embiid would be as good a pick for them as for some other teams.  They would defininitely need to trade Sanders if they wanted to get him playing time and they already have a post-up big in Henson.  Not that Embiid-Henson couldn’t become a great big duo, but I worry that the lack of guard play combined with the team’s glut of young frontcourt players could hinder Embiid’s development.  

[Mr. JewboyParticipant]

 I don’t think drafting Parker or Wiggins will do anything to Giannis. He’s already 6-10, long, and still growing and can easily be moved over to the PF spot, even though he is definitely on the skinny side. Especially when you’re talking about pairing him with Jabari who is a big SF and can bang down low, like the likes of Carmelo and Lebron.

[Mr. JewboyParticipant]

 I don’t think drafting Parker or Wiggins will do anything to Giannis. He’s already 6-10, long, and still growing and can easily be moved over to the PF spot, even though he is definitely on the skinny side. Especially when you’re talking about pairing him with Jabari who is a big SF and can bang down low, like the likes of Carmelo and Lebron.

[ahuang16Participant]

While Giannis Anteokounmpo is very versatile on both sides of the ball and could complement either Wiggins or Parker, I think Randle or Smart is the best choice.  I think that Larry Sanders and John Henson are both very talented but also too similar in the fact they are both shot-blockers/rebounders.  A player like Randle could bring both size and low-post scoring to complement them.  Smart on the other hand is a leader, the exact kind of player missing on this team.  Brandon Knight looks like a serious dud at the point guard, and I don’t think many people peg Mayo to have a permanent future with Milwaukee.

[ahuang16Participant]

While Giannis Anteokounmpo is very versatile on both sides of the ball and could complement either Wiggins or Parker, I think Randle or Smart is the best choice.  I think that Larry Sanders and John Henson are both very talented but also too similar in the fact they are both shot-blockers/rebounders.  A player like Randle could bring both size and low-post scoring to complement them.  Smart on the other hand is a leader, the exact kind of player missing on this team.  Brandon Knight looks like a serious dud at the point guard, and I don’t think many people peg Mayo to have a permanent future with Milwaukee.

[MUbballfanParticipant]

As a Bucks fan, thanks for bringing this topic up. IMO, the two players most worth building around are Henson and Antetokounmpo. Mayo and Ilyasova are overpaid, and Henson is now making Ilyasova expendable. Sanders is a head case. Henson and Antetokounmpo have great potential and could be great complements to a superstar player.

Looking at this draft, it is stacked from top to bottom. With Henson (PF) and Antetokounmpo (SG/SF) in mind, I would say our biggest areas of need for the future are center, point guard, and small forward in that order. Sanders like I said is a head case, and is way overpaid at center. OJ Mayo isn’t a long term solution at shooting guard IMO. Khris Middleton is a good young player, probably worth keeping around, but there are a few better options for a small forward in this year’s draft. 

If they have to choose between Wiggins and Parker, that is a tough decision. Wiggins has superstar potential, more potential than Parker. But, Parker is much more skilled and well-rounded at this point in time. He to me seems like one of the lowest-bust potential superstar players I have ever seen, due to the fact that he is so humble and was raised by a great family. He doesn’t seem like he is striving for the money like some other players. He genuinely loves playing basketball.

[MUbballfanParticipant]

As a Bucks fan, thanks for bringing this topic up. IMO, the two players most worth building around are Henson and Antetokounmpo. Mayo and Ilyasova are overpaid, and Henson is now making Ilyasova expendable. Sanders is a head case. Henson and Antetokounmpo have great potential and could be great complements to a superstar player.

Looking at this draft, it is stacked from top to bottom. With Henson (PF) and Antetokounmpo (SG/SF) in mind, I would say our biggest areas of need for the future are center, point guard, and small forward in that order. Sanders like I said is a head case, and is way overpaid at center. OJ Mayo isn’t a long term solution at shooting guard IMO. Khris Middleton is a good young player, probably worth keeping around, but there are a few better options for a small forward in this year’s draft. 

If they have to choose between Wiggins and Parker, that is a tough decision. Wiggins has superstar potential, more potential than Parker. But, Parker is much more skilled and well-rounded at this point in time. He to me seems like one of the lowest-bust potential superstar players I have ever seen, due to the fact that he is so humble and was raised by a great family. He doesn’t seem like he is striving for the money like some other players. He genuinely loves playing basketball.

[MUbballfanParticipant]

 Continued: sorry, for some reason every time I get to a certain point of a message the text disappears.

If given the choice to choose between Wiggins/Parker (this would probably be if they end up winning the lottery), I would choose Wiggins. A very tough choice.

I don’t think Julius Randle would be a must-draft player for the Bucks, because they already have Henson and have other areas where they could greater improve.

If given the choice between Marcus Smart and Dante Exum (think around pick #3-4, after Wiggins and Parker would both probably gone), I would go with Smart, solely based on how proven he is in college and how much of an unknown Exum is.

If Joel Embiid is still on the board, and the Bucks had to choose between him and Smart/Exum, I would go with Embiid, because of his massive potential. Center and point guard are both areas of concern for the Bucks IMO. I don’t think Sanders or. Brandon Knight are long-term solutions at either position.This was another tough choice to make. 

[MUbballfanParticipant]

 Continued: sorry, for some reason every time I get to a certain point of a message the text disappears.

If given the choice to choose between Wiggins/Parker (this would probably be if they end up winning the lottery), I would choose Wiggins. A very tough choice.

I don’t think Julius Randle would be a must-draft player for the Bucks, because they already have Henson and have other areas where they could greater improve.

If given the choice between Marcus Smart and Dante Exum (think around pick #3-4, after Wiggins and Parker would both probably gone), I would go with Smart, solely based on how proven he is in college and how much of an unknown Exum is.

If Joel Embiid is still on the board, and the Bucks had to choose between him and Smart/Exum, I would go with Embiid, because of his massive potential. Center and point guard are both areas of concern for the Bucks IMO. I don’t think Sanders or. Brandon Knight are long-term solutions at either position.This was another tough choice to make. 

[OnionsParticipant]

You take the best player. Henson and Giannis look like good prospects (I think Henson is a potential allstar), but I doubt either will be a franchise player.

Basically, don’t draft Bowie when there’s Jordan on the board.

 

 

[OnionsParticipant]

You take the best player. Henson and Giannis look like good prospects (I think Henson is a potential allstar), but I doubt either will be a franchise player.

Basically, don’t draft Bowie when there’s Jordan on the board.

 

 

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