This summer, the Milwaukee Bucks will either continue their partnership with Giannis Antetokounmpo or trade him. With no answer in that regard yet, it will be fascinating to see what they do with their pick in the upcoming NBA Draft, which is projected to be quite high. While several players do or don't make sense depending on Giannis' decision, Brayden Burries would be a great pickup in either scenario.
Burries would give Bucks peace of mind either way
There is plenty to like about Burries' potential fit in Milwaukee. As an Arizona freshman, he averaged a line of 16.1 points, 4.9 rebounds, 2.4 assists, and 1.5 steals per contest while hitting 39.1 percent of his perimeter shots. He's a two-way threat who could immediately slot into Milwaukee's rotation and give them strong defense in addition to needed floor spacing.
One factor that adds to his desirability in either timeline is his age. At 20, Burries is older than most of the freshmen in this class. If Giannis stays and the goal is to compete, Burries being a little older may mean he's more mature and ready to help sooner. If Giannis leaves and the team focuses on younger pieces, Burries is still just 20 years old. It's a win-win situation either way.
The question is whether or not he'll be available when the Milwaukee Bucks pick, as projections have them picking around 10th. It wouldn't be shocking if the guard wasn't on the board at that point.
Burries is safer than other uncertain prospects
With no clear direction on Giannis Antetokounmpo's future, players like Tennessee's Nate Ament and Michigan's Yaxel Lendeborg, who could also be available in this range, become far harder to evaluate.
Ament is a project player. While he has upside, it may take years to develop. Even if that hasn't been a roadblock for the Bucks to take players in recent years—hello, AJ Johnson—it should be here. If there is a world where Giannis stays and the Milwaukee Bucks draft Ament, it would be baffling. If Giannis leaves and they take him, that suddenly makes more sense.
Lendeborg is on the other end of things. He's 23, so any team that drafts him must be ready to make a run from day one. He's the type of plug-in piece that can immediately leap into a rotation. If Giannis stays, Lendeborg makes plenty of sense to help the team's contending hopes. If the Greek Freak is gone, drafting a 23-year-old suddenly makes much less sense.
There is just so much uncertainty with Giannis, and it could impact Milwaukee's draft decision. Yet, if they have an opportunity to draft Brayden Burries, that worry suddenly lessens.
Stay tuned for more Milwaukee Bucks analysis.
Add us as a preferred source on Google