The Milwaukee Bucks didn't make any trades to sneak into the first round of the NBA Draft, but they could (should) look to move up from the 47th spot in the second round. Per NBA insider Jake Fischer, the Charlotte Hornets, who hold picks 33 and 34, and the Minnesota Timberwolves, who hold the 31st, are currently fielding offers for their selections. The Bucks would be wise to put in an offer to trade up with so much talent still on the board early in the second.
A trade up would make plenty of sense by the Bucks
There are many prospects who would make sense for the Milwaukee Bucks.
Rasheer Fleming is the most prominent name. He's a tall, lengthy forward with a smooth outside shot who could develop into a versatile defender. Maxime Raynaud could give the Milwaukee Bucks a shot in the arm as they aim to get the center position filled out. Averaging 20.2 points and 10.6 rebounds in his final collegiate season, the big man could be a walking double-double.
Adou Thiero is an explosive athlete, one of the best in this draft in the eyes of experts. It's far from a secret that the aging Milwaukee Bucks need an energetic sparkplug. Noah Penda has the type of defensive chops to give opposing teams problems. If he can get a grip on his offensive skill set, he could be a two-way problem in the NBA.
In short, the Milwaukee Bucks need to use this offseason as a passing of the torch moment to rely on youth rather than name-brand veterans. While the approach has worked in the past, the NBA has since evolved. Youth and athleticism run the show now. The best way to show their commitment to this approach would be by swinging a trade for an early second-rounder.
What do the Milwaukee Bucks have to trade? In addition to the 47th pick, they have a 2026 second-round selection from Utah and a 2032 second-round pick at their disposal. The 2031 first should be off the table, though. It would have made more sense to use that in a trade into the first round, but the time for that has come and gone. It's all about the second round.
If they stay at 47, the Milwaukee Bucks could find a good player. This class is full of them. However, if they trade up, they might have more options at their disposal to get a clear-cut great one.
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