Last year, the Milwaukee Bucks owned far more favorable draft position, picking 23rd and 33rd overall. They used those selections on a pair of 19-year-olds, guard AJ Johnson and forward Tyler Smith. Unfortunately, neither player contributed much to the rotation.
If the Bucks plan to field a contender next season, they must avoid the temptation of raw talent and use their sole pick this year, the 47th of the draft, on a mature player who can help them immediately.
Bucks can't afford to gamble on prospects
As for last year's picks, Smith at least remains with the franchise. This is more than can be said for Johnson, who was shipped to Washington at the trade deadline in the Kyle Kuzma deal.
Both players have promise. The Bucks still hope Smith can make an impact in 2025-26. Johnson could be a core piece for the Wizards a few years down the road. Potential isn't the issue.
The problem is that the Milwaukee Bucks are still chasing another title, so far unsuccessfully, and thus are in need of present contributors. Expecting teenagers to play the part is wildly unrealistic. At the same time, the roster does not have the cushion to develop players at the expense of on-court performance. The Milwaukee Bucks simply need to employ a different drafting strategy.
Neither Smith nor Johnson had a real chance to grow last season. Before being traded, Johnson appeared in just seven games. In Washington, as the Wizards tanked their way to last place in the Eastern Conference, he enjoyed his first taste of action, averaging nine points in 27 minutes across 22 games (including 11 starts).
Smith saw the court 23 times in Milwaukee, but eclipsed double-digit minutes just twice, once when half the roster hit the injury report and once in the regular season finale and the Bucks had finalized their playoff seeding. Those two games accounted for nearly half of his season scoring output.
With only one pick in this year's draft, the Milwaukee Bucks can't afford to get cute. Either John Tonje, Wisconsin's sixth-year senior, or Darrion Williams, a junior out of Texas Tech, represent viable options.
Versatile size, game reps and a solid floor are all desirable traits
Listed at 6-foot-5 and 218 pounds, Tonje, 24, finished fourth among Big Ten scorers at 19.6 points per game. Showcasing a complete shooting profile, Tonje can drive to the paint, hit shots off the bounce and drill catch-and-shoot opportunities (38.8 percent overall from deep).
He can also get to the line, averaging 91 percent accuracy on nearly seven attempts per game. Even if his shot creation skills take time to translate at the pro level, he should offer support in spot-up situations at either shooting guard or small forward.
Williams, who is 6-foot-6 and 225, increased his volume substantially as a junior, contributing career-bests in both points (15.5) and assists (3.6). Although his efficiency dropped, he has shot a solid 38 percent on threes in his career and would not be tasked with the same NBA workload, allowing him to hone in on his shotmaking.
Aside from being a superior facilitator to Tonje, he also brings a bit more defensively (second on his team in steals every year). With 100 college games under his belt, the 22-year-old is no green sprout and has already attracted interest from the Bucks. In the Red Raiders' Elite Eight run, Williams impressed with 21 points per game in high-pressure moments.
The Milwaukee Bucks would not expect huge plays from their draft pick, just the ability to become a regular part of rotations as the season progresses - something they didn't have last season. As they seek help wherever they can find it, serviceable rookie minutes would go a long way toward filling out a competitive roster.