It is officially draft week, and the Milwaukee Bucks have some decisions to make on draft day this year. They hold the 23rd and 33rd picks of the draft, and they could either elect to use their picks or include them in a trade for some more proven talent.
The case for trading the picks is simple... the Bucks are in win-now mode and should be doing everything they can to acquire players to help them win a championship in 2025. Rookies in the late-first or early-second round don't hit too often, let alone in their first season, so trading the picks has a better chance of boosting their roster immediately.
The case for using the picks is that the Bucks could really use some youth. As one of the oldest teams in the NBA last season, Milwaukee looked slow and unathletic too often and got exposed defensively in many games as a result. If they can hit on a pick here, it would give them a young and cheap role player that they could desperately use. They've already worked out several prospects who they could be of great use.
If the Milwaukee Bucks decide to use either of their picks, there are a ton of different prospects they could realistically take in either the first or second round. Here is a tier list of them, going from worst to best.
Tier 4: No Thank You
Zach Edey (Big - Purdue)
Too slow for a Milwaukee Bucks team looking to become more athletic and versatile for the future.
Johnny Furphy (Wing - Kansas)
Small, poor on defense and can't do much with the ball in his hands. Just not versatile enough or NBA-ready enough to be a good fit.
Kyshawn George (Wing - Miami)
Slow, not very athletic and still rather unproven. More potential rather than production.
Baylor Scheierman (Wing - Creighton)
Any player lacking both defense and athleticism, the two things the Bucks need most, is not someone I can get excited about.
Nikola Djurisic (Wing - Serbia)
Defense and shooting are inconsistent, and he doesn't bring much quickness or athleticism to the table.
Tyler Smith (Forward - Ignite)
Still needs time to put some things together, and his defense is poor.
Tyler Kolek (Guard - Marquette)
Don't think Kolek is the right fit for a Milwaukee Bucks team that needs defense and athleticism, two areas where he is average at best.
Kyle Filipowski (Big - Duke)
If the Bucks are going to draft a big, it should be for one with more athleticism and defensive versatility.
Isaiah Collier (Guard - USC)
Inconsistent shooting, defense and decision-making all make him not nearly NBA-ready enough for the Milwaukee Bucks to draft.
Pacome Dadiet (Wing - France)
Just not NBA-ready. Only 18 years old and 190 pounds, and he has a very raw skill set that will require time to develop.
Dillon Jones (Wing - Weber State)
Not explosive or quick, and there are questions about how his game will translate to the NBA. Just too risky.
AJ Johnson (Guard - Illawara)
Only weighs 167 pounds, so that should basically tell you how ready he is to play in the NBA.
Trentyn Flowers (Wing - NBL)
Has good potential, but needs more time to polish his game than the Milwaukee Bucks can afford.
Ulrich Chomche (Big - Africa)
Super intriguing as a draft-and-stash big man, but nowhere near ready enough for the Bucks.
Juan Nunez (Guard - Spain)
Pure point guard who can pass but is a below average shooter and defender who lacks athleticism.
Melvin Ajinca (Wing - France)
A 3-and-D prospect who doesn't do either one well yet and is still a ways away.
Cam Spencer (Guard - UConn)
Sharpshooter who struggles defensively and is a subpar athlete. Just not a good Bucks fit.
Oso Ighodaro (Big - Marquette)
Can't shoot and likely at least a couple years away from being an impactful NBA player.
Antonio Reeves (Wing - Kentucky)
Elite shooter, but small and lacking athleticism. Not a very good defender.
PJ Hall (Forward - Clemson)
Relatively slow and unathletic forward who relies more on strength and feel.
Tier 3: Don't Hate It, Don't Love It
Jared McCain (Guard - Duke)
Likely round: First
Would be a great value to get if he falls to pick 23, but I just don't know if he is what they need. He is an awesome shooter, but he isn't very fast or athletic and probably will just be an average defender at best.
Ja'Kobe Walter (Wing - Baylor)
Likely round: First
Another guy who would be a good value if he ends up falling in the first round, but again, I'm not in love with it. He has the potential to become a nice 3-and-D player, but the defense isn't there yet, and he isn't very athletic.
Justin Edwards (Wing - Kentucky)
Likely round: Second
His talent and athletic ability are enough to warrant some excitement, but he probably needs some time to put it all together, and the Bucks can't afford to wait.
Ajay Mitchell (Guard - UCSB)
Likely round: Second
Decent in basically every area, but not great at any one thing. Mitchell would not be the worst pick, but there's little to love about him.
Harrison Ingram (Forward - North Carolina)
Likely round: Second
Solid versatility with his size, shooting, and passing ability as a forward. However, his quickness and athleticism are lacking, and he may struggle on defense as a result.
Cam Christie (Wing - Minnesota)
Likely round: Second
Smooth shooter but doesn't do anything else other than that yet. He has solid length for defense but needs to get stronger, and he might not be ready to play impactful NBA minutes in year one.
Bobi Klintman (Forward - Sweden)
Likely round: Late first or early second
Has real potential on both ends of the floor with his length, agility and shooting, though he doesn't seem strong or polished enough to contribute immediately for the Bucks.
Enrique Freeman (Forward - Akron)
Likely round: Second
Intriguing defensive player with physicality, energy, and length, but will likely need some time to find his role in the NBA and become more skilled.
Tristen Newton (Guard - UConn)
Likely round: Second/Undrafted
Solid floor general who can do a little bit of everything and is a winner, but he's limited athletically and doesn't have any skill he's great at.
Jaylen Wells (Wing - Washington St)
Likely round: Second
Elite spot-up shooter who also has some ball handling and defensive potential, though he's a little raw and needs some time to put on more strength.
Trey Alexander (Guard - Creighton)
Likely round: Second
Good midrange scorer who is a solid on-ball defender with his length, but he has below average athleticism and there are questions about how his game will translate to the NBA.
Yves Missi (Big - Baylor)
Likely round: First
A big man who can't shoot, which always makes me very skeptical about how he can play with Giannis Antetokounmpo. But he has the athleticism and defensive versatility that the Bucks haven't had from another big before.
Jonathan Mogbo (Forward - San Francisco)
Likely round: Second
He is an athletic forward who can play some center and is intriguing defensively, and he also has some surprisingly good ball handling and passing ability. He can't shoot at all, though, and is stuck between a power forward and center.
Adem Bona (Big - UCLA)
Likely round: Second
Strong and athletic big man who plays with energy and has a lot of defensive versatility. However, his offensive game is very limited, and he has a lot to work on as far as basketball skills.
Tier 2: I'm In
Jamal Shead (Guard - Houston)
Likely round: Second
Short point guard at just 6-foot-1, but he is an outstanding point-of-attack defender with toughness and intensity that the Milwaukee Bucks could really use. Offensively, he can run the show and be a playmaker while also scoring from the mid-range.
Jaylon Tyson (Wing - California)
Likely round: Late first/early second
Shot creating wing who can score at all three levels, pass, rebound, and is passable on defense. He's not super quick or athletic, but he could be a steal in the late first or early second round.
Ryan Dunn (Wing - Virginia)
Likely round: Late first/early second
The best defender in the class with his length, versatility, quickness, and athleticism. His offense is a huge question mark, but he checks the Milwaukee Bucks' two biggest boxes in a big way: defense and athleticism.
Kel'el Ware (Big - Indiana)
Likely round: First
Ultra-talented and athletic big man with a 7-foot-4 wingspan, good mobility and some potential as a shooter. He has some question marks about his effort and physicality, but he would be hard to pass up if he falls to pick 23.
Jalen Bridges (Wing - Baylor)
Likely round: First
Not a super exciting prospect, but he's one of the better 3-and-D prospects of this class whose skill set should make him a solid role player at the next level.
KJ Simpson (Guard - Colorado)
Likely round: Late first/early second
Shifty, electric guard who can score from anywhere, be a playmaker for others and is a good defender and rebounder despite being just 6-foot-2.
Tristan da Silva (Forward - Colorado)
Likely round: First
There's nothing very flashy or eye-popping about him, but his floor is as high as anyone in this class with great shooting ability, high IQ and solid defense.
Bub Carrington (Guard - Pittsburgh)
Likely round: First
Bucket-getting guard with a deep bag who can also pass, run an offense and play fairly tough on defense. Still has to polish some of his game, but the potential is really good.
Tier 1: The Favorites
Pelle Larsson (Wing - Arizona)
Likely round: Second
Do-it-all wing who has a lot of versatility and skill as a role player on both ends of the court. Can shoot, pass, rebound, handle the ball, defend and also has some nice athleticism.
Kevin McCullar (Wing - Kansas)
Likely round: Second
One of the best defenders in the nation for the past few seasons. He can make an immediate defensive impact while playing like a glue guy offensively with some passing, cutting and spot-up shooting.
Keshad Johnson (Forward - Arizona)
Likely round: Second
Super athletic forward with a good combination of both size and agility to go along with a 3-and-D skill set that should help him thrive as a role player.
DaRon Holmes II (Big - Dayton)
Likely round: First
Athletic and mobile big man who can play both a traditional or modern style. He can serve as a rim protector and a dunker, or he can step out to defend some on the perimeter and hit some threes.
Terrence Shannon Jr. (Wing - Illinois)
Likely round: Late first/early second
Dangerous player in the open floor with speed and athleticism that the Bucks could really use. Attacks the basket and gets to the line often, plus he can shoot the three and has all the tools to be an effective defender.
Isaiah Crawford (Wing - Louisiana Tech)
Likely round: Second/undrafted
Insanely disruptive defender with a 7-foot wingspan who averaged 2.1 steals and 1.7 blocks last season. He also plays like a poor man's Khris Middleton offensively. There is a chance he is a major steal in the second round (or possibly even as an undrafted free agent).