First big move for Bucks GM
Frontcourt players among draft options
With Greg Monroe’s decision to opt into the final year of his contract, the Milwaukee Bucks’ decision with what to do with the 17th overall pick in Thursday’s NBA draft reached a point that’s been expected for weeks.
The Bucks are loaded in the frontcourt with Monroe, Thon Maker and John Henson all under contract for next year with Spencer Hawes still mulling his $6 million player option. This draft includes a strong guard class, but the cream of the crop is expected to be unavailable when it’s Milwaukee’s turn. In- stead, the Bucks will likely have a slew of promising big men to choose from.
As he heads into his first draft as general manager, Jon Horst isn’t concerned by the roster or the way the team’s first-round pick will fit immediately.
“I don’t think that we’re going to make our drafting decision based on our roster as it stands currently today,” Horst said Tuesday. “This is a longterm plan . ... ”
Horst also mentioned on Tuesday that it would be “hard, not impossible” for the Bucks to draft someone who wasn’t one of the 86 players who worked out in Milwaukee this spring. Part of that could depend on how the draft shakes out ahead
of the Bucks’ pick, and who is available when Milwaukee is on the clock.
With that in mind, the Bucks will have plenty of options. Here’s a list of five players — listed alphabetically — who the Bucks might consider taking with their 17th pick on Thursday night.
Edrice “Bam” Adebayo, F/C, Kentucky: The 19-year-old has spent the spring moving up mock draft boards. At 6-foot-10 and 242 pounds and just 5.2% body fat, Adebayo is an outstanding athlete. He doesn’t extend the court with his shooting, but he runs the court well, has good footwork, projects as a capable rebounder, can play any position on defense and is an asset near the rim with his leaping ability and nearly 7-foot-3 wingspan. Adebayo fits into the Bucks’ long, fast, versatile scheme and could be a good change of pace option with Maker down the road.
Jarrett Allen, F/C, Texas: Allen, who stands at over 6-10 and just turned 19 in April following his lone season at Texas, fits into the Bucks’ “Team AllLength” nickname that Maker coined last spring. His 7-51⁄4 wingspan is one of the largest in the draft and is at least two inches
longer than that of Maker or Giannis Antetokounmpo. Allen also has massive hands at 9 1/2 inches long and 10 1/2 inches wide. He projects as a solid defensive presence and strong pick-and-roll player at the next level. When Allen worked out for the Bucks last week, both Allen and vice president of scouting Billy McKinney said they believe Allen would start as a center, but his shooting ability, which he didn’t showcase in college, could help him shift to the No. 4 spot on the court down the road.
Harry Giles, C, Duke: A 6-11, 232-pound center, Giles could be a dark horse for the Bucks. There are no indications that he spoke with the team at the NBA draft combine and didn’t work out for them, but his high upside and athleticism — Giles has a 7-31⁄4 wingspan, good feet and bounce — could be intriguing enough for Horst & Co. to pull the trigger. The problem with Giles not meeting with the Bucks is they may not know his full medical picture, which would be a red flag. Giles underwent arthroscopic knee surgery last fall and missed the beginning of the college basketball season. It was Giles’ third knee surgery since 2013. He has already torn both anterior cruciate ligaments as well as the medial collateral ligament and meniscus in his left knee.
Justin Jackson, SF, North Carolina: If the Bucks don’t opt for a big man, they could have an interest in Jackson, who worked out in Milwaukee on Friday. The 6-8, 201pound wing is not expected to slip down to the 17th spot, but if he does he could provide an enticing shooting option. Jackson, 22, left UNC after three seasons and demonstrated dramatic improvement with his long-range shooting by helping the Tar Heels win the national title. He averaged 18.3 points, 4.7 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game while shooting 7.1 three-pointers per game and making 37.0% of those attempts. During his first two seasons at North Carolina, Jackson was just a 29.7% three-point shooter.
Justin Patton, C, Creighton: Like Giles, Patton did not work out for the Bucks, but he did speak with them at the NBA draft combine in Chicago. Patton, 6-11 and 229 pounds, is a center with a 7-foot-3 wingspan. After redshirting his freshman year at Creighton, he exploded on to the scene. At 69.2%, his effective fieldgoal percentage was the fifth best in the country. He got his buckets from all over the court — he threw down lobs on pick and rolls, converted face-up moves in the post, scored off the dribble and hit three-pointers. He also translated his athleticism
into solid defense, blocking 5.9% of the shots that came his way. Patton thrived playing in the Bluejays’ fast-paced system, running the court well and scoring in transition as opposing big men struggled to keep up.