The Bucks have been left with a Tyler Herro dilemma in Giannis trade talks, but Dailyn Swain’s impressive draft profile could make their decision a lot easier if the right pieces are involved. The Pistons are reportedly interested in acquiring Herro for themselves and could trade their No. 21 overall pick to the Bucks in exchange.Â
Swain could be a better fit than Herro
If they land an extra pick at 21, the Bucks will have an opportunity to land a high-potential prospect with their own No. 10 overall pick and also grab Swain. Although Swain isn’t projected to be a lottery selection, he is a very promising fit for the Bucks, especially after a Giannis trade. Swain showed tremendous improvement during his junior year last season at Texas and can add many missing elements to the Bucks roster.
Swain’s biggest strengths lie in his ability to attack the rim and make plays on defense when locked in. The Bucks clearly lacked physicality and athleticism on both ends last season, but Swain can help immediately in those departments. Not only was he a force scoring in the paint, but he also helped the Longhorns in other ways through 7.5 rebounds and 1.6 steals per game.
And Swain is still only 20 years old, so he can be a perfect piece in a rebuilding timeline. In contrast, Herro is 26 years old and is likely near his peak if not already there. He’s both older than the Bucks’ best young talent and is a worse fit than Swain due to positional overlap with Ryan Rollins and Kevin Porter Jr.
There are still some risks to Swain
That being said, Swain is obviously not a perfect prospect; he would be getting drafted much higher if that were the case. His biggest weakness is currently his shooting, although that has shown improvement during his college years. Last season, he shot 34 percent from three on 2.6 attempts per game - much improved compared to 25 percent the year before on less than half the volume.
But outside shooting was a strength for the Bucks last season and something they have in abundance across the roster. Even if Swain’s jumper doesn’t progress much further after getting drafted, he can still find a role in the Bucks' offense as a downhill slasher amongst a sea of deadeye shooters. Swain even has the ball-handling and playmaking chops to find his teammates for open looks as he’s driving.
In an ideal world, the Bucks will be able to maximize their return for Giannis Antetokounmpo to support their upcoming rebuild. Rerouting Tyler Herro for a first-round pick in a loaded draft certainly qualifies, especially with someone like Swain available.
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