NBA Draft 2017 Prospect Watch: Luke Kennard

Fit in Milwaukee

In my Mock Draft 1.0, which was released just after the NBA Draft Lottery, I had the Milwaukee Bucks selecting Kennard with the 17th pick in the first round. The Bucks were a much-improved shooting team from 2015-16 to 2016-17, but there is still room to get better.

With Giannis Antetokounmpo as the center of the offense, adding as many shooters as possible around him would make for a very fun offense. The backcourt has some very solid pieces already considering Malcolm Brogdon, Khris Middleton, and Tony Snell (if he re-signs), but Kennard’s upside as a versatile combo guard would fit nicely.

Kennard is not nearly the “project” that prior Milwaukee first-round picks Antetokounmpo, Rashad Vaughn, or Thon Maker were, and he should be able to contribute to the team right away. The Bucks used their second-round pick last season on another ACC player who had a successful college career in Malcolm Brogdon, so hopes could be high that Kennard could do the same.

With Jabari Parker already on the roster, Kennard would be the second Duke Blue Devil to find his way onto the Bucks roster, filling the void left by Miles Plumlee after he was traded during the 2016-17 season.

On the whole, Kennard’s crafty offensive play, three-point shooting ability, and knowledge of how to play within a team dynamic make him a relatively safe pick at the 17th spot. There will be lots of high risk/high reward players left on the board at that time, and finding a rotation player in the NBA Draft is not as easy as it sounds.

Next: NBA Draft 2017 Prospect Watch: Josh Hart

With a solid core featuring Brogdon, Middleton, Giannis, Jabari, and Thon already in the making, adding Luke Kennard, a player who can contribute right away and fit well for years to come, might just be the right choice for the young Milwaukee team.