Rumors leading up to the NBA Draft painted the Milwaukee Bucks as a team that wanted a guard at all costs. One name rumored to be on their radar was Alabama's Labaron Philon Jr. Before the draft, NBA insider Jake Fischer (subscription required) said the Bucks were "quite high" on the guard. While they would have loved to get him, once they saw Brayden Burries was available, they had to pivot.
Dallas helped the Bucks get Burries
Picking 10th, the Milwaukee Bucks likely didn't think any of the top guards in this class would be left on the board when they were up. Things looked that way, with Mikel Brown Jr., Darius Acuff Jr., and Kingston Flemings going sixth, seventh, and eighth. With Dallas picking ninth, it felt like a foregone conclusion that they would snag Burries.
However, once Dallas surprisingly went with Morez Johnson Jr., the Bucks had a golden opportunity to land a top-10 player in this draft. Philon was likely their plan in that moment, with him potentially set to go at 13 while the Bucks picked Nate Ament at 10, but once Burries suddenly became within reach, all of their plans likely changed in a second.
Philon still heard his name called, but it was later than most thought. He finally got called off the board with the 22nd pick and will now head to Philadelphia.
Philon was a nice Plan B for the Bucks
None of this is to diss Philon. This writer would have been thrilled to have gotten him had all of the top guards been off the board, which many believed would be the case. With so many questions hanging over the backcourt, an impressive scorer like Philon would have been a seamless fit, but under those same circumstances, no one could fault the team for taking Burries in a hurry.
Burries has star potential in the making. Though Philon may have been more productive as a scorer, Burries wasn't afraid to put points on the board himself. Where Burries truly boasts an edge is on the defensive end. The guard is sturdy, weighing over 20 pounds more than Philon, which should help him translate his strong collegiate defense to the next level. That's the difference here.
While the team could have landed both, it made sense to tackle a different position with the 13th pick, which the Bucks got in the Giannis trade. Nate Ament was a controversial selection due to how raw he is as a prospect, but it made sense to take a swing on a big forward over another guard after losing both Antetokounmpo and Bobby Portis. The frontcourt needs love, too.
Bucks fans should be thrilled about their new guard.
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