With a month until the NBA Draft gets underway, Bleacher Report's latest mock draft sees the Milwaukee Bucks select wing Karim Lopez with the No. 10 pick. While he certainly has a high ceiling and fills a void on the roster, Brayden Burries lands at pick 11 and feels like less of a risk, while still possessing a higher ceiling.
Brayden Burries falling to the Bucks would be a steal
The top four in this year's draft are pretty much set. After that, there is a plethora of guys that have been mocked to land between five and 10, some dropping further. Burries is one of those players who would be a surefire pick for the Bucks if he were still on the board at 10. He would be a safer pick than other prospects, fitting nicely with the Bucks as a two-way threat.
In his lone season with the Arizona Wildcats, Burries averaged 16.1 points, 4.9 rebounds, 2.4 assists, and 1.5 steals on shooting splits of .491/.391/.805. At 20, he is older than most freshmen in this class and, alongside Ryan Rollins, would be a deadly backcourt duo.
His shot distribution is good, and his motor allows him to rebound better than most at his size. What makes him work with the Bucks is the combinations it would allow Taylor Jenkins to use at the guard spots. Rollins and Burries are strong defensively, but if Kevin Porter Jr. is still on the roster, either of them can partner with Porter and allow him to focus on offense while they take the tougher defensive assignments.
If Bleacher Report are correct and Burries is still on the board at the 10th pick, he would be a steal for the Bucks.
Lopez can fill a much-needed spot, but he would be another gamble
Milwaukee has already met with Lopez, and there is a lot to like about the 6-foot-9 forward currently playing for the New Zealand Breakers in the National Basketball League. At 222 lbs, he is more than physically capable of keeping up with the strength of NBA players, along with great switch defense and has the power to fight his way to the basket.
The Bucks have needed a forward for quite some time, and Lopez could be their long-term answer. His spot-up shooting is decent at 33.7 percent, and his physicality means he is a really good screener and roller, creating a nice option for the guards on the roster.
What will concern many is the same thing with every international prospect that isn't a Luka Doncic or Victor Wembanyama caliber player when they enter the NBA. Can he adapt to the pace and athleticism of the league?
Mock drafts have a huge range for Lopez. With some like Bleacher Report having him go as high as 10 to the Bucks, while others have him as low as pick 28. There is so much potential there, but it would be a risk for the Milwaukee Bucks.
Unless they really did move on from Giannis Antetokounmpo and go into a complete rebuild, giving Lopez more freedom and less pressure would make far more sense. He may not be able to have as big an immediate impact as Burries what would concern people. The Bucks are no strangers to those risky picks, and this would follow that trend.
There is so much to like about both players, and they have extremely high ceilings. Burries just feels like a player that can be more impactful straight away and likely has an even higher ceiling than Lopez. It would be a surprise were the guard to still be on the board at pick 10, but the Bucks also like to draft projects, and Lopez is that.
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