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The 2024 NBA Draft is slated for June 26 and 27, and the Milwaukee Bucks will have two selections, one in each round.
If the Bucks keep their picks, they have a chance to add some legitimate youth to this aging roster, which is among the prominent flaws this group currently possesses. The biggest question is exactly which position they might aim to add a quality player or two at. There are two obvious positions that could use refining, those being wing and center. Which is more pressing? Let’s analyze.
With two draft picks, at least at the moment, the team could, of course, add players who play different positions via the draft. However, which need is pressing enough that the team should aim to patch it utilizing their first-round pick? The easy answer is picking the best player available regardless of their position, but if it comes down to one or the other, Milwaukee may lean center.
While Brook Lopez was still an incredibly productive rim protector this past season, he is 36 and on an expiring contract. It’s unclear how long he may aim to keep playing, let alone at the high level he’s done over the past few years. This past season, his lack of athleticism and quickness was an issue for the Bucks, causing mighty problems in transition.
Bobby Portis has statistically been among the best backups in the league, but he doesn’t bring the same juice that Lopez does defensively. With Portis constantly being mentioned in trade rumors as well, it’s unclear if he will even be in town next season. If he is, the Bucks could still use another big who brings a different flavor to the frontcourt.
This draft class is littered with intriguing big men who could be quality fits for Milwaukee, such as Kel’el Ware, DaRon Holmes II and Kyle Filipowski, among others. Whether it’s defense, athleticism, mobility, shot-blocking or floor-spacing, there are several centers in this draft who own tools that could help the Milwaukee Bucks and mold them into their long-term center of the future.
Milwaukee’s need for wing depth also cannot be ignored. For years, the team has been plagued by a lack of tall, lengthy and athletic wings, and this could be their golden opportunity to add one or two in a class full of them. The Bucks have reportedly done some homework on a few wings in this class, so there are clearly a handful that catch their eye.
One reason they may lean center over wing, though, is because they already have several youngsters on the roster at wing, including MarJon Beauchamp, a former first round pick, Andre Jackson Jr. and Chris Livingston, both second-round picks last year. That’s not to say that they should not add a wing if a good one is available, but the center position is far more thin.
In a perfect world, if the Milwaukee Bucks keep their picks, they could add one of each.
This writer is very high on Kel’el Ware as a long-term fit with their first-round selection, as he boasts the athleticism, rim protection and outside shooting to be a nice two-way fit for this Milwaukee team. In the second round, Ryan Dunn could be a nice pickup on the wing, giving the team a much-needed playmaker on the defensive end to inject some energy into this rotation.
Indiana’s 7-footer Kel’el Ware has been shooting up draft boards 🔥
Who does his game remind you of? 🤔
(via @DraftExpress)pic.twitter.com/qiGJ40si7K
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) January 31, 2024
Ultimately, only time will tell, but if they do keep the draft picks, the Milwaukee Bucks need to get this draft right, or it could set them back years. It could also propel them forward in their title chase.
Stay tuned for more Milwaukee Bucks analysis.
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Publish date : 2024-06-02 16:00:02
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