In his latest mock draft, The Athletic's Sam Vecenie (subscription required) has the Milwaukee Bucks selecting Mikel Brown Jr. 10th overall, noting that they have a legitimate interest in him. Brown would be a homerun pick for Milwaukee, giving them a chance to strengthen a weak part of their roster, but as other teams circle Brown like vultures, the Bucks shouldn't get their hopes up.
Other teams want Brown just like Milwaukee
Per HoopsHype's pre-draft workout tracker, the Atlanta Hawks, Brooklyn Nets, Chicago Bulls, Dallas Mavericks, LA Clippers, and Utah Jazz have all done homework on Brown. The problem for the Bucks is that all of those teams will pick before them. Even if Utah and Chicago are likely out of the running due to how high their selections are, everyone else feels like fair game.
Essentially, all the Bucks can do is sit there and hope everyone else passes on Brown. Good luck.
The Atlanta Hawks, who pick eighth, feel like a legitimate threat here. After sending out Trae Young this past trade deadline, they need a long-term option at guard. If Brown is available, no one should be in shock if they grab Brown. Yet, with a need for a big body, they would also make sense for big man Aday Mara, potentially leaving Brown up for grabs.
Even then, the Milwaukee Bucks would have to hope that the Dallas Mavericks don't pounce one pick later. The odds simply aren't in their favor.
Bucks will likely have one or two options left
It's a great time to need a guard. Even if Atlanta and Dallas both grab guards with the eighth and ninth picks, there will likely still be a few worthwhile high-profile options there for the taking. Whether it's Kingston Flemings, Labaron Philon Jr., or whoever else, if the Bucks want a guard, not all hope is lost if Brown is gone.
The Milwaukee Bucks clearly want a ball-handler. Nine of the 14 draft prospects they have worked out so far, according to HoopsHype's workout tracker, have been point guards. They are leaving no stone unturned, and rightfully so. In a class full of them, a good guard could be exactly what the Bucks need to get this ship back on the right track.
The odds of Mikel Brown Jr. being that guard look incredibly slim as the draft inches closer, but never say never.
Stay tuned for more Milwaukee Bucks analysis.
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