Milwaukee Bucks: Did they choose the right guy in the draft?

The Milwaukee Bucks could have made several different choices in Thursday night’s draft. It remains to be seen if they made the correct one.

Picking at a spot in the draft when multiple strong options were available, the Milwaukee Bucks got their guy in selecting guard Donte DiVincenzo. However, they may have missed an opportunity to take a more valuable and talented player.

After the Washington Wizards took Troy Brown with the 15th pick, many intriguing choices remained. Wings Zhaire Smith, Lonnie Walker, and Kevin Huerter, and big Robert Williams were left on the board.

It seemed initially that DiVincenzo would be selected by the Phoenix Suns right before the Bucks. However, a last-minute trade led to the Suns selecting Zhaire Smith instead to send to the Philadelphia 76ers.

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We do not know how things would have changed if the Suns had taken DiVincenzo before the Bucks. But we do know the Bucks chose DiVincenzo over the other guys available.

The tough-minded guard who came off the bench for Villanova will do the same for Milwaukee. He projects to be a nice complementary wing, bringing his greatest value through competent three-point shooting, particularly off catch-and-shoots.

Expect him to compete with Malcolm Brogdon, Tony Snell, and Sterling Brown for rotation minutes at the combo guard/wing position, although coach Mike Budenholzer indicated they will also hope to give him minutes at point guard.

General manager Jon Horst highlighted DiVincenzo’s ability to contribute immediately coming from Villanova’s system, his high character and winning nature, and his do-it-all offensive qualities.

In so heavily weighting DiVincenzo’s intangibles, the Bucks may not have placed enough value on Huerter and Walker’s advantages on the court.

On a basic level, the Bucks need three-point shooting, and all three of these players should provide that. However, the value of shooting firepower goes deeper than just the percentage of three-point shots a player makes.

Huerter is a better shooter off movement, and at 6’7’’, is two inches taller than DiVincenzo, making his shot more difficult to be contested effectively. Walker also brings a more diverse shooting package and greater potential for fluid shot-making.

These advantages mean the difference between standing still behind the arc knocking down open shots and being used as an additional weapon coming off screens to stretch opponents.

Defensively, none of them seem likely to be a major positive, but DiVincenzo showed the least at the college level. He failed to demonstrate quicks, strength, or intuitive feel that could have hinted at significant defensive improvement.

Huerter will have to prove he can hold up defensively, but he has quick feet and off-ball awareness that suggests he can be at least a neutral defender. Walker showed a lack of instincts but looked engaged and fast enough on-ball to suggest some potential.

DiVincenzo will improve. As will Huerter and Walker. These detailed differences in projected ability may not end up mattering as much for guys that would play similar 3-and-D roles for the Bucks. But there are nuances to that general archetype in level of player impact, and DiVincenzo seems the weakest.

More importantly, Huerter and Walker’s more tantalizing set of offensive skills and tools offers room for upside beyond being a bench player. They have realistic paths to becoming starters, more so than DiVincenzo does, without really sacrificing in their floor outcomes.

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DiVincenzo is fine, but the Bucks did not need to pigeonhole themselves into fine. He has the talent and a competitive drive to provide helpful contributions off the bench, but the front office could have aimed higher. Let’s hope DiVincenzo’s mother’s homemade pasta, which he mentioned in his interview with ESPN, works some magic on him, Giannis, and the Bucks.

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