Picks five through 13 in the upcoming NBA Draft are projected to be loaded with guard talent. For a team like the Milwaukee Bucks, who have plenty of uncertainty at that spot, having two picks could be the boost they need to tackle the concern. If the Bucks do indeed trade Giannis Antetokounmpo this summer, there's a good chance they will have two selections in that range.
Bucks could use a pair of talented guards
Outside of Giannis Antetokounmpo's future, addressing the backcourt will be one of Milwaukee's big question marks this summer. Currently, Ryan Rollins is the only ball-handler under contract next year, with Kevin Porter Jr. set to ponder a player option. Potentially thinning the backcourt further is fellow guards Gary Trent Jr. and Gary Harris also weighing player options.
If the team needs guard depth, this draft has them covered.
This class is loaded with guard talent, especially with players like Keaton Wagler, Kingston Flemmings, Darius Acuff Jr., Brayden Burries, Mikel Brown Jr., and Labaron Philon Jr. If the Milwaukee Bucks have a way to land two of those players to pair with Ryan Rollins, it would set their backcourt up nicely this summer, potentially giving them a three-headed monster from day one next season.
Likeliest Giannis suitors have desirable picks
The big question, of course, is where that second pick is coming from. The Bucks would love to get the fifth pick from the Clippers or the sixth from the Nets, but neither team has other assets to make the type of offer Milwaukee wants. Instead, the likeliest bet would be getting a first-rounder from the Golden State Warriors or Miami Heat, two dedicated Giannis suitors.
Golden State picks 11th, one spot after the Bucks, while Miami is at 13. While big hitters like Wagler, Flemmings, and Acuff will almost certainly be gone by then, there will still likely be an opportunity for the Bucks to grab someone like Burries, Brown, or Philon, in addition to whoever else they take with their own 10th overall pick. It's a desirable scenario to beef up the backcourt.
In any scenario, trading Giannis would hurt Milwaukee Bucks fans, but getting another pick in one of the most stacked draft classes in a long time, among other assets, could lessen the pain. The Bucks must use both of their draft picks in this scenario wisely, and tackling the backcourt uncertainty by giving Ryan Rollins some needed help would certainly be a worthwhile scenario.
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