As the 2025 NBA Draft approaches, the Milwaukee Bucks have several holes on their roster, with limited options to fill them. Without having a lot of cap space, tradeable assets, or draft picks, Milwaukee will need to be very shrewd in their offseason moves if they want to build up a roster capable of contending in the near future.
One of the few assets they have is the 47th overall pick in this year's draft. Although a pick in this range is very unlikely to ever turn out to be anything spectacular, it still is an opportunity to select a player who could maybe blossom into a rotational piece down the road. They are likely going to be searching for prospects with athleticism and experience with this pick.
The Bucks' biggest need at the moment appears to be wing players. They have practically no players who have both the skills to be a guard and the size to be a forward. Having these types of versatile players is key to winning in the modern NBA, and if the Bucks want to have any hopes of contending anytime soon, they will need to find several of them.
Luckily for Milwaukee, this draft has some very solid wing prospects who could be going in the mid-to-late second round, right where the Bucks are picking. Here are a few of the best wings for the Bucks that could be available with the 47th pick.
Sion James
Duke - 6-foot-5 - 220 lbs
Sion James is an extremely versatile wing/guard with an intriguing combination of speed, power, and skill. At 6-foot-5 and 220 pounds, he is built like a linebacker, and he can impact the game in a variety of ways.
He already showcased his athleticism at the combine, where he had the fastest three-quarter sprint and the fifth-highest max vertical leap out of 68 players. He certainly would provide some athleticism that the Milwaukee Bucks are searching for.
On offense, James excels as a downhill attacker who can get to the rim and finish like a forward, but he also can pass and make decisions with the ball in his hands like a guard. The Milwaukee Bucks desperately need more rim pressure and decision-makers outside of Giannis Antetokounmpo, and James seems capable of checking both boxes.
He has also become a very solid shooter, improving to 39.4 percent from three in the last two years after being at 31.7 percent in his first three years of college. Although he is still not a very high volume 3-point shooter (only 75 total attempts last season), it is a great sign to see those numbers jump all the way up near 40 percent.
James is also very good defensively. He moves his feet well and is quick enough to stay with guards on the perimeter, but he also has the frame and size to not be overpowered by bigger players and even help out at the rim sometimes. He has good awareness, quick hands, and a high basketball IQ that all help him on that end of the court.
Although he is already 22 years old and may not have the highest ceiling, Sion James seems like he could be a draft steal in the second round with his versatility and two-way impact.
Micah Peavy
Georgetown - 6-foot-7 - 210 lbs
Micah Peavy has the exact type of physical tools the Bucks should be looking for in a wing. He's big, strong, physical, and athletic, and that gives him some intrigue as a potential second round pick.
Peavy's offense took a major leap this past season at Georgetown, as he averaged 17.2 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 3.6 assists - all career highs - earning himself a spot on the All-Big East First Team. He can attack and finish using his size and physicality, and he also is a solid passer and playmaker. Peavy posted a positive assist-to-turnover ratio in four of his five collegiate seasons.
The big jump Peavy took last season was with his 3-point shooting. After being just a 26.7 percent 3-point shooter in his first four seasons, he jumped all the way up to 40 percent on 4.1 attempts per game last season. His percentage has steadily improved each year of his career, so there are reasons to believe in his outside shot moving forward.
Defensively, Peavy seems ready to contribute in the NBA right away. He has the size and versatility to make a big impact on that end of the court, and he was one of the best defenders in the Big East last season.
He can guard multiple positions on the ball and also excels off the ball, using his anticipation to jump into passing lanes. He averaged an elite 2.3 steals per game last season, one of just 15 players in the country to do that.
Like most other players going in the late-second round of the draft, Peavy is an older prospect (23), but he seems fairly NBA-ready with his combination of physical tools and skills on the wing that the Milwaukee Bucks could definitely use.
Jamir Watkins
Florida St. - 6-foot-6 - 215 lbs
Jamir Watkins is another lengthy and versatile wing with potential two-way impact. He has great size at 6-foot-6 and 215 pounds with a monster 6-foot-11 wingspan, and he uses that size and length to his advantage on both ends of the court.
Watkins is a slasher offensively who gets into the paint a lot using his agility and physicality, and he is great at getting to the free throw line (7.7 free throw attempts per game last season). He has also shown solid passing and ball-handling ability that allows him to run offense at times.
Although his outside shot isn't anything special, it certainly isn't terrible, as he shot 33.2 percent from three over his last three seasons and made 144 threes during his college career. Watkins impressed in the 3-point star shooting drill at the combine, making 18 out of 25 threes, which tied for the best out of 69 players.
Defensively is where Watkins really shines, and he has the size, quickness, and instincts to really make an impact on that end. He is a switchable defender who can guard multiple positions, jump into passing lanes for steals, and thrives on or off the ball.
Watkins is another older prospect at almost 24 years old, which limits his ceiling, but he has shown the ability to do a lot of things well and should be on the Bucks' radar if they are looking for a wing.
Hunter Sallis
Wake Forest - 6-foot-5- 180 lbs
Of all the players that could be available for the Milwaukee Bucks to take with the 47th pick, Hunter Sallis might be the most dynamic offensive player. He possesses great physical tools with his agility and length (6-foot-10 wingspan) that he uses well offensively.
Sallis is a smooth shot creator who averaged 18 points per game in each of his last two seasons at Wake Forest. He can handle the ball and score efficiently from all three levels using his finesse, length, touch, and creativity. He is also a solid playmaker who can create for others and make decisions with the ball in his hands.
Although he needs to add strength, Sallis is a pesky perimeter defender with his quickness and length. He moves his feet well and has good instincts for jumping into passing lanes, making him a disruptive defensive presence. He should be able to make an impact defensively in the NBA, especially once he puts on some more weight.
Sallis would be an extremely intriguing player for the Milwaukee Bucks to add to their team with his versatile scoring ability and two-way potential. He doesn't yet have great size for the NBA at only 180 pounds, but he has the skills, and the size can come with time.
Sallis has already done a pre-draft workout for the Bucks, so clearly they have some interest in him.