The 2024 NBA Draft is scheduled for June 27, and with the NBA Playoffs heading into the final rounds, teams are looking to the draft and who could be a franchise altering pick. It is very different from other years for the Milwaukee Bucks, as they come into this with a first and second-round pick.
There is the opportunity to try trade up or make a move for a player already in the NBA, but with the Bucks' roster being one of the oldest in the league, it is likely they look to add a young player who can come in and help the team next season.
The Bucks and the 2024 NBA Draft
With Andre Jackson Jr., MarJon Beauchamp and Chris Livingston already part of the roster, the Bucks have a number of young wings that have shown glimpses of being able to be a regular rotation piece moving forward. Here, we will highlight players who can aid the Bucks with their depth at the center position.
Brook Lopez has been the perfect center for the Bucks to partner with Giannis Antetokounmpo, and his shooting has been essential to the team's success in recent season. That said, he is now 36 and is heading into the final year of his deal, so the Bucks may look to the draft to find someone who can take on that role in the future or at least grow into a solid backup center.
Giannis and Bobby Portis have both spent time at the center position and played well, but having that specialist and young player that has similar skills to Lopez but more athleticism could be a huge plus for Milwaukee.
At points this past season, Lopez has been called out due to his lack of agility, and as a whole, the Bucks' roster has struggled with younger teams that have more speed and athleticism and were just outpaced. Having a big man who can guard both up at the perimeter and under the basket would be a nice complement when Lopez comes out of the game.
With that being said, here are four draft prospects who can help the Milwaukee Bucks at the center position.
Zach Edey, Purdue
Zach Edey is one of the most intriguing prospects coming into the draft. The 7-foot-4 center from Purdue has had quite a big range on mock drafts, with some having him as a first-rounder as high as a lottery pick, where others have him as an early second-round pick.
In the most recent ESPN Mock Draft (Subscription required), they have him going at 15. His performances in March Madness in helping Purdue get to the championship game has raised his stock.
In 39 games for the Boilermakers, Edey averaged 25.2 points, 12.2 rebounds and 2.2 blocks on 62.3 percent shooting from the field. Milwaukee's rebounding was solid all season with Giannis, Lopez and Portis all being good on the glass, Edey's size can add to that, and his ability to score inside is some of the best in the draft.
The concerns regarding Edey are he is yet to develop a shot from long-range, so his fit next to Giannis Antetokounmpo would really constrict the paint. Recent footage has shown him taking shots from deep in practice, but that happens with lots of players.
Lopez didn't attempt a 3-pointer for the first six seasons of his NBA career and has since developed into a 35 percent shooter from deep. If the Bucks can somehow have a similar effect with Edey, it would be a solid replacement, and they he would be just starting his career in the association.
Trading up for Edey may be the play if the Bucks really want him, but if he is a potential lottery pick, then it might be best saving assets and looking elsewhere.
Kel'el Ware, Indiana
Indiana center Kel'el Ware stands 7-foot tall, and in Bleacher Report's mock draft back in March, his draft comparison was in fact Milwaukee Bucks big man Brook Lopez.
It is interesting that he was mocked to be selected 11th in their draft, but ESPN had him dropping to 27th as of May 12. If the drop is viewed across the league, the Bucks may find him falling to them in the early 20s. Yet, they might feel the need to trade up just to make sure they get him.
Having transferred from Oregon to Indiana prior to the 2023-24 NCAA season, Ware played 30 games for the Hoosiers and averaged 15.9 points, 9.9 boards and 1.9 blocks on shooting splits of .586/.425/.634. That ability to shoot from beyond the arc at a decent rate is where his value lies.
Partnering him with Giannis would be no different to Lopez being there, allowing the spacing for Giannis to attack the paint but providing good size and mobility on the defensive side of the ball, too.
In the Big Ten Tournament, he scored 26 points in three of four games, and they were all close games, showing his ability to work down the stretch and score at all levels. Indiana not featuring in March Madness might hinder his stock, but that also means he may fall further down the pecking order and still be there when Milwaukee make their pick.
His workouts, where he can show off his physicals and shooting, will possibly make him a more enticing draft pick, but there is the potential for the Bucks to make the move to grab Ware.
Yves Missi, Baylor
Baylor center Yves Missi is projected to be taken in the 20s across almost all mock drafts and is another player who could be of use to the Bucks at the center position. He is a great interior scorer and shot blocker.
The 7-footer averaged 10.7 points with 5.6 rebounds and 1.5 blocks. A 61.4 percent shooter from the field, one of the downsides is his lack of ability to stretch the floor. Again, Brook Lopez has shown that players can develop a shot and add it to their arsenal, so time would tell on this.
Missi is great on the defensive end, and his ability to guard the pick-and-roll is of value, something the Milwaukee Bucks struggled with at times this season without a point of attack defender. Around the basket, his touch and control need work, but there are signs of a player who can grow into a really good NBA center. Being eased into the Bucks' rotation would be of use to both parties.
This pick may be a slight risk due to his fit and inability to stretch the floor, but there is plenty of upside with Missi. If others are off the board, the front office may feel they can build Missi into their ideal center for the Milwaukee Bucks moving forward.
Ulrich Chomche, NBA Africa Academy
Now the final player is perhaps more of an unknown and would be more likely to be available in the second-round so if the Bucks take a different position in the first, Ulrich Chomche of the NBA Africa Academy could be a player they see with a real high ceiling.
He is 6-foot-11 and at just 18 there is the opportunity to take a gamble on him and see what he can develop into. The Bucks have experience of this with Giannis and no one saw him turning into the two-time MVP and DPOY. Chomche was part of the G League Showcase in December and displayed impressive rim protection and decent passing and shot-making skills.
Per HoopsHype, Chomche averaged 13 points, nine rebounds, three assists, three blocks, and one steal per game. He shot 42.4 percent from the field, 38.1 percent from three and 75 percent from the foul line. Shooting is still an area of his game that needs work on, but his overall physical attributes are impressive, and they give him a good base to then refine his skills on.
His size and athleticism could see his stock rise, and being just 18 allows time for him to develop. Chomche's stock could also drop just from sheer knowledge and rawness. The Bucks may find him available with their second-round pick, so he could be worth the risk.
It will be interesting to see what positions the Milwaukee Bucks look to address, but with Lopez's age, center is definitely an area the Bucks need to be looking at who can follow on from him and partner with Giannis Antetokounmpo in the frontcourt.
Stay tuned for more Milwaukee Bucks analysis and draft content as the date edges closer.