There were some whispers that the Milwaukee Bucks have had trade interest in Dejounte Murray in recent years. Specifically, Jake Fischer (subscription required) reported back in December that they made calls to acquire him before he landed with the New Orleans Pelicans. With Murray unlikely to be a Buck anytime soon, perhaps the team could try to get someone else of that same cloth.
In Bleacher Report's newest mock draft, the Bucks pick Alabama's Labaron Philon Jr. Who did they compare the All-SEC honoree to? None other than Dejounte Murray, of course.
Dejounte Murray is far from a shabby NBA comparison
Prior to Murray landing in New Orleans and tearing his Achilles, the thought of landing the guard was enticing. A one-time All-Star, Murray has shown that he can be a threat on both sides of the court, posting averages of 22.5 points, 6.4 assists, and 1.4 steals per game shortly before the Bucks were reportedly looking to acquire him. A star pickup like that would certainly be a good fit in Milwaukee.
Labaron Philon Jr. isn't guaranteed to reach Murray's heights, but he has the tools. He's a quick guard who can score from all over the floor and play pesky defense. The leap he took from his first year as a member of the Crimson Tide to the second shows the potential. Just like Murray, Philon has starting guard written all over him if he can continue to sharpen his two-way skills.
The most prominent concern with Philon is how well he will hold up at the NBA level defensively. At 6-foot-4, 177 lbs, the sophomore guard is on the smaller side and could run into trouble when taking on bigger guards. Yet, circling back to Murray once again, he made it onto an All-Defensive team despite weighing around 180 lbs at 6-foot-4, so it is possible for Philon to also shatter the narrative.
Philon would be a fine pick to satiate Bucks' Murray desire
If the Milwaukee Bucks are looking for a two-way guard in this draft—there are plenty who could be available in their range—Philon would make sense. If the Bucks can retain Kevin Porter Jr. and pair Philon with him and Ryan Rollins, they would have a fearsome backcourt trio that they hope could become their own version of what the San Antonio Spurs have.
For the Milwaukee Bucks to even have a shot at drafting Philon, they must first figure out where they will land in the draft. They are currently projected to be 10th, but they could shoot up as high as No. 2. In a class as loaded as this one appears, teams can't go wrong with any pick, it seems, but it will be interesting to see what the Bucks do if Philon is on the board when they are on the clock.
Stay tuned for more Milwaukee Bucks analysis.
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