Milwaukee Bucks: Rounding up reactions to their 2020 NBA Draft

How do experts view the pick of Sam Merrill and his fit with the Milwaukee Bucks?

15 picks after the Bucks took Nwora, they were back at it and took another experienced and well-rounded scorer in Utah State guard Sam Merrill.

Tony Jones of The Athletic reported late Wednesday night that Merrill has signed a two-year deal with the Bucks, which includes the second year being partially guaranteed and the deal being for $1.4 million guaranteed currently.

In a piece by Jeff Hunter of the Deseret News, Merrill gave an insight into the process and the events that unfolded before he was ultimately selected by the Bucks with the 60th pick:

"“There were a ton of conversations going on throughout the entire draft that my agents were handling, and I got a call at about pick 40 that a team had offered me a good contract if I didn’t get drafted,” Merrill said. “And most of the teams in the second round were offering two-way deals to the guys they drafted. So we were going to accept that deal if we didn’t get the same deal or better. “I was totally OK with not being taken,” he added. “But later on, my agent called back and said, ‘Hey, Milwaukee is going to match that deal and they’re going to draft you,’ so that was exciting.”"

Just as his approval for the Nwora selection, Boone gave praise to the Bucks for picking Merrill with the final selection of the draft, due to his fit and the value he brings in the draft:

"“Merrill was someone who steadily rose up our rankings as teams dug deeper because they fell in love with his scoring threat and ability to stretch the floor. He finds a perfect fit here with Milwaukee as they add another shooter to add next to Giannis, and at mid-second round value to boot. Grade: A“"

Similarly, Buckley and Wasserman are bullish in how Merrill’s extraordinary shooting ability gives him a chance to be something more than this year’s “Mr. Irrelevant:”

"“While technically this draft’s Mr. Irrelevant, Sam Merrill has a decent chance to deliver NBA relevance sooner than later. He never leaves home without his three-point cannon, which he used to splash 319 threes at a 42.0 percent clip across four seasons at Utah State. If that shot helps him see the floor as a spacer for Giannis Antetokounmpo, the 6’5” Merrill could emerge as a sneaky-good bargain. “He doesn’t have Duncan Robinson’s size, but his shooting precision and basketball IQ are suited for a similar specialist role,” Wasserman wrote. Grade: B“"

Whether those grand plans will come to pass remains to be seen, but the consensus that the Bucks found some interesting depth pieces like both Nwora and Merrill could be key for them moving forward.