Milwaukee Bucks Draft Discussion

[Jenneral]

With the draft about a month away I figured it would be wise to see what we could possibly get out of this year's draft. As you all know, the Bucks will be receiving the 15th overall pick thanks to a trade that sent Hakim Warrick and Joe Alexander to the Bulls for John Salmons and a pick swap. Even without this pick, I'd consider the trade a huge success.

 

I know I was down on our pick last year, so hopefully I can keep a more open mind this year. I love the direction the Bucks are heading and any new faces will be great for this team. As it stands now we already have a nice young core that will be together for awhile. Hopefully this year's draft can add 1-2 players that will be a solid contributor to this team as well.

 

As of now or lineup looks something like this:

 

PG: Brandon Jennings

SG: John Salmons

SF: Carlos Delfino

PF: Luc Richard Mbah a Moute

C: Andrew Bogut

 

*This is assuming all players are back again and don't leave for another team in free agency. Obviously we'll be drafting based on needs and I'm sure Hammond & Co. are in talks with Salmons to hear his thoughts on his next move.

 

With that in mind, I think there's a few positions we need to look at above others. We obviously have our PG and C positions figured out so you can leave those out of the draft talks. That leaves the SG, SF, and PF positions open for discussion. I would personally like to see us draft a PF in either round as we're relatively small there and could move our current PF's to the SF position.

 

Here's a look at a few players I could see the Bucks giving a deep look at assuming they're still on the board at #15. I realize some of these might be huge stretches but for the sake of discussion I'll throw them in.

 

Xavier Henry - SG

With the John Salmons situation still unknown it would be wise to consider drafting a SG in the draft. Michael Redd's time in Milwaukee is as good as over and it's time to turn a new leave. There's no better option at this position than Henry. Henry averaged over 13 ppg on 46% shooting in his freshman year at Kansas. He's very athletic and has the body to play this position in the NBA. Henry can also spread the floor well and has a similar style as Salmons as he's solid when cutting to the hoop. If Salmons was to leave via free agency I could see a pick such as Henry starting from day one much like Jennings did last season.

 

Ekpe Udoh - PF

At 6'10", Udoh is the perfect size for a PF in this league. He is a great defender (perfect since Hammond stresses defense) and would complement Bogut in the post extremely well. Udoh nearly averaged a double-double last season at Baylor with 14 ppg and just under 10 rpg. His 3.7 blocks per game is something to take note of as well. I could see us taking Udoh here as we're relatively small at the PF position. His great defense and ability to understand his role would be ideal while playing alongside Bogut.

 

Gordon Hayward - SF/PF

I'm not sold on Hayward as he could really be picked anywhere outside of the top half. He was a solid player for Butler and would fill a void at our forward positions. Hayward is a great shooter that could translate his game to the NBA level. While he averaged over 15 ppg last season his defense is average at best. This is something he'd have to work on if he ever wanted to see himself starting as a Buck.

 

Damion James - SF/PF

Unlike Hayward, James is a good defender that is also able to confuse defenders with his quickness. Averaging nearly 20 ppg on over 50% shooting last season, James looks to be a lock as a first round pick. However, he might be a reach at 15 much like Hayward. My only worry is that he'd just be another Mbah a Moute or Delfino in that he would be a solid role player but not a solidified starter for the future of the franchise.

 

James Anderson - SG

This would be my second choice when it comes to SG's in this year's draft (we're obviously not landing Turner). He's a defensive leader on the court who I feel could have an offensive career similar to Redd's. Anderson has had some trouble creating his own shot but has been an efficient scorer shooting 46% over his career at OSU. I feel as if the back court of Jennings and Anderson would be very exciting to watch as both can go off at anytime.

 

----------------------

 

While it's very uncertain who the Bucks will actually draft next month, there's obviously positions that need to be filled more than others. The players listed above would fill those needs and then some. They all have one thing in common as well - defense. This is something Skiles demands and I feel as if they will look to continue on that path with a player that is dedicated on both ends of the floor.

 

So there you have it, insight on the Bucks draft coming from someone who is aware of the team's needs and values.

[Real Deal]

I've always been a fan of Xavier Henry, and I don't think he had enough touches to really show his full potential at Kansas...but don't leave out Avery Bradley and Ed Davis. Both could drop to the Bucks.

 

Bradley makes sense, but he may be a little too much like Jennings (but a much, much better defender). He's a two-guard in a point guard's body. I heard them say he's somewhat like Monta Ellis (heard it on NBATV), and it's somewhat true.

 

Davis would be a nice defensive compliment to Bogut, especially since Andrew is improving on that end of the floor. Twin towers. It would allow you to slide Mbah a Moute down to the three again.

[Jenneral]

I've always been a fan of Xavier Henry, and I don't think he had enough touches to really show his full potential at Kansas...but don't leave out Avery Bradley and Ed Davis. Both could drop to the Bucks.

 

Bradley makes sense, but he may be a little too much like Jennings (but a much, much better defender). He's a two-guard in a point guard's body. I heard them say he's somewhat like Monta Ellis (heard it on NBATV), and it's somewhat true.

 

Davis would be a nice defensive compliment to Bogut, especially since Andrew is improving on that end of the floor. Twin towers. It would allow you to slide Mbah a Moute down to the three again.

The thing about Bradley is that I don't know how much his size will truly affect him in the NBA. It would take a lot of work for him to legitimately play the 2. I'd rather us pass on him for a more NBA ready prospect.

 

Davis wouldn't be a bad pick though as we need a true PF to compliment Bogut. He's also a good shot blocker which would make it tough for opposing teams to drive on us as we'd have both Davis and Bogut waiting for them.

[Jenneral]

The more I think about it, the less I want Gordon Hayward. Just seems like another Joe Alexander [bust] to me.

[Jenneral]

Lazar Hayward of Marquette University will be among the six players taking part in the Bucks’ pre-draft workout Wednesday at the team’s practice facility.

 

Other players scheduled to attend are Gordon Hayward of Butler, Luke Babbitt of Nevada, Terrico White of Mississippi, Jordan Crawford of Xavier, and Darington Hobson of New Mexico.

 

I'm really hoping Lazar performs well. I'd love to see him stay in Milwaukee if we could grab him with a 2nd round pick.

[Jenneral]

It looks like Udoh will definitely be going before #15 now. I thought he would be a perfect fit for out team.

[Built Ford Tough]

It looks like Udoh will definitely be going before #15 now. I thought he would be a perfect fit for out team.

 

I think that Patrick Patterson would be a real nice fit with the Bucks.

 

Patterson isn't nearly as undersized as people had originally thought and his size was supposed to be the biggest knock on him as a player. He was too small for the 4 and doesn't have the skill set to play the 3. With that not being an issue, it doesn't surprise me that he has went from being projected in the 20-26 range to being considered in the lottery now.

 

He may not have the upside as some of the other players in this draft, but I don't think you have to worry for a second about him being a bust. Best case scenario he is a solid role player power forward and worst case scenario I think he is a good 7th or 8th man off of the bench good for 20-25 minutes a night. He showed this past season at Kentucky that he is all about the team and will do whatever it takes to win as he completely adjusted his game and took a lesser role on the team when Wall, Cousins and Bledsoe came to the team.

 

I also think that him and Bogut would compliment each other nicely. Patterson is more than capable of playing outside of the paint and can definitely knock down mid range jumpers. With Bogut's post game and great passing out of the post, it will create some nice opportunities for Patterson, and with Patterson's ability to hit mid range shots, it will open things up for Bogut down low. Bogut's length and shot blocking will help compensate for any lack of size that Patterson may give up on the defensive end as well.

 

Throw in Xavier Henry and Paul George as players who make a lot of sense for the Bucks as well, assuming that one of them fall. Out of the three that I mentioned, I would imagine that at least one of them falls to the Bucks though.

[Jenneral]

I'd be fine with Patterson.

 

As of now the players that I'd be fine with that we have a legitimate chance at getting are Henry, George, Babbitt, Udoh, Bledsoe, Udoh, Orton, Whiteside.

 

As long as we don't take Gordon Hayward basically.

[Dash]

LARRY SANDERS

 

The Bucks have told Larry Sanders that they will draft him if he's still on the board at No. 15. But the Bucks are actually trying to trade down because they know it's unlikely anyone will take Sanders before No. 15 and there isn't a ton of teams interested in Sanders in the first 20-25 picks. The Bucks do want Sanders and they told him they will take him. But I don't know how much I believe the promise by the Bucks. If someone else slips to them, like Ekpe Udoh, Cole Aldrich or Luke Babbitt (for the record, I don't think any of them will be available at No. 15), I could see the Bucks changing their mind and taking one of them. If that were to happen, I believe Sanders would really fall deep into the late first round or possibly even into the early second round. There just hasn't been an incredible amount of interest for Sanders. But the Bucks told Sanders they will take him, so we have to believe that for now.

 

Link

 

Thoughts Jenneral?

 

I've always liked Sanders but like the writer says in this article, he is a great player to take when you're trading down to the 20s.

 

Another bit from the article.

 

PATRICK PATTERSON

 

Patterson may or may not have received a promise from the Toronto Raptors at No. 13, but he walked away from his workout very confident that they will take him if he's there. He even cancelled a workout with the Bucks, who own the No. 15 pick. The Hornets are also a strong possibility at No. 11. It's not entirely confirmed, but it seems that Patterson has received a pretty strong commitment from the Raptors.

Edited June 21, 2010 by Dash

[Jenneral]

I guess I never really considered Sanders. There were talks about us trading down earlier but they seemed to have died out. I definitely don't want to take him at 15, but if we could manage to trade down I wouldn't mind the move. He seems to be a good defender which is what Skiles demands in his players. Since PF is one of our only holes in this team looking to make the playoffs in consecutive years, I think this move could actually work as he'd probably compliment Bogut quite nicely. The only thing is that he might need to add some midrange game in an effort to spread the floor a little more and create some additional looks for Bogut.

 

As for Patterson canceling his workout with us, I was pretty pissed. I had hoped that we would somehow get him or Udoh in this draft (assuming Henry was already taken). We really need an efficient PF to complete this team and I feel like this draft is the best way to go about doing that. Now even if Patterson is available at #15 I don't know if we should take him as it seems he has no interest in Milwaukee. We don't want another draft pick like Yi who states before the draft he does not want to come to Milwaukee, yet we draft him anyway.

[Jenneral]

Xavier Henry is working out with the Bucks today. He is one of the only players that is not a PF that I'd like to see the Bucks grab.

 

JSOnline

[Built Ford Tough]

I saw the comment about the Bucks promising Sanders that they would pick him a week or so ago, and I posted about it in the Raptors draft thread, but I never really believed it as the poster didn't post a source with it or anything like that, so I never mentioned it in this thread.

 

Chad Ford talked about this in his latest blog, as well as the site that Dash posted. I definitely think that this isn't just a rumor as there seems to be multiple people reporting it. I don't think it is a bad move at all considering the Bucks need for a power forward and the fact that there is a really good chance that guys like Udoh, Patterson and Davis will be off the board when the Bucks pick. They might as well trade down and take Sanders, while hopefully gaining another pick in the process and using it on somebody like Jordan Crawford, Elliot Williams (although there seems to be a lot of interest from Houston and Sacramento in him, James Anderson (if he falls to late 1st round/early 2nd) or some other two guard that can shoot.

 

If Henry is still on the board at 15, I think it would be a mistake trading down to take Sanders though. I think that Henry would be an amazing fit in Milwuakee.

Edited June 22, 2010 by Built Ford Tough

[Jenneral]

FYI: I just posted this (with the addition of a player or two) on Bleacher Report. I plan on using Bleacher Report more in the future. I'd appreciate if everyone could take a look and possibly comment on there.

 

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/409502-with-the-15th-pick

[Jenneral]

If Henry is still on the board at 15, I think it would be a mistake trading down to take Sanders though. I think that Henry would be an amazing fit in Milwuakee.

I agree.

 

His workout seemed to go really well today and he "said" he loved Milwaukee.

 

The 6-foot-6 Henry is known for his ability to shoot the basketball and he thinks he would be a good fit in Milwaukee next season, especially since it’s uncertain whether Michael Redd and/or John Salmons will be with the team next season.

 

“That’s a big part of it because you don’t know which ones are coming back,” said Henry. “You know Michael Redd’s been hurt the past couple seasons and John Salmons…people don’t think he’s coming back.

 

“So this would be a great place to step in next to Brandon Jennings and Andrew Bogut and have a solid team around you and just come in and contribute and compete from day one and that’s what I’m trying to do.”

 

Asked more about the possibility of playing with Jennings, Henry said, “He’s a flashy player. People like to play with flashy people but they also like to play with unselfish people and I think he’s a combination of both.

 

“So when you’re out there playing with him, you’re having fun and it’s not so much of a serious, serious game. You’re out there smiling and having fun while you’re playing. That’s how I like to play so it would be fun to come here.”

 

Good that he thinks him and Jennings could run the court well.

 

However, our scouting director thinks he'll definitely be off the board by 15.

[Guest STL10]

My mock has the Bucks taking Henry. Is it bad that Henry reminds me of Michael Redd in his prime? Some may think I'm stretching, but this kid can ball.

[Built Ford Tough]

My mock has the Bucks taking Henry. Is it bad that Henry reminds me of Michael Redd in his prime? Some may think I'm stretching, but this kid can ball.

 

I can see the similarities between the two. They are both good shooters, both are basically the same size (6-6, 220 pounds) and both were/are known as solid defenders coming out of college.

 

However, I highly doubt that Henry becomes as good as Redd was in his prime. People forget just how good Redd was at scoring the ball before his knee troubles. He averaged 24.5 ppg on 45% shooting over a 4 year span. He was pretty good at getting to the free throw line as well as he averaged 6.9 free throws per game during this time frame. I don't think that Henry will ever be able to get to the line or create his own offense nearly as well as a prime Michael Redd did. People always talk about Redd's ability to shoot the ball, or point out his weaknesses in regards to playmaking and things like that, but he was a damn good scorer during his prime.

 

I see Henry's prime being more of a 15 ppg scorer on good shooting percentages, but limited to mainly set plays and scoring off of others setting him up than him creating for himself and being more of a defender than Redd was in the NBA (he was actually a very good defender during his time at Ohio State, but it never translated to the NBA). A good role player, but not the borderline All-Star that Redd was during his prime.

 

I can see some similarities though, and if you want to make the comparision, I can understand why somebody would call him a poor mans Michael Redd. I don't think that he will ever be as good as a prime Redd though.

[Real Deal]

Sort of complicated when comparing the two, really (Redd and Henry). Henry has more offensive skills, but Redd will probably be the greater scorer (talking Michael in his prime, of course).

 

Defense? Sure...there's no comparison there. Redd has never defended well.

 

Redd's range and his overall shooting assisted him when he slashed. Players didn't want to give him space to get his shot off, so he took them off the dribble and got to the line, or finished at the rim. Henry will end up being a more complete offensive player, though...but I doubt he makes his way into Redd's territory when it comes to pure scoring.

[Built Ford Tough]

Finally, it looks like the Bucks aren't done dealing. This afternoon they traded Dan Gadzuric and Charlie Bell to the Warriors for Corey Maggette. Now sources say that the Bucks and Nets are in serious negotiations on a deal that would send Chris Douglas-Roberts to the Bucks for a second round pick. With the addition of Maggette and Douglas-Roberts, you have to wonder if the Bucks may look at something other than a wing with the No. 15 pick in the draft.

 

http://espn.go.com/blog/truehoop/post/_/id/16937/late-night-draft-buzz

 

 

I think those rumors about the Bucks promising Larry Sanders are looking more and more legitimate. If this trade goes down, combined with the earlier move acquiring Maggette, that leaves the Bucks with a decent wing rotation. I definitely think that they will try to trade down and take Sanders on draft night as drafting a wing would create a logjam with Maggette, Redd, Mbah a Moute, Deflino, CDR and the draft pick (is Ilyasova a 3 or a 4? I can't remember).

[Jenneral]

Hammond is on a roll tonight... it's been said that Hammond is now looking to acquire Miami's #18 pick.

[Dash]

Just touched down in Milwuakee... And they just traded for another pick in the draft.. Lookin kinda good for ya boy...

 

Link

[Jenneral]

The Bucks are exploring the possibility of adding a second pick in the first round of Thursday night's NBA Draft.

 

RealGM