2015 NBA Draft Prospects Milwaukee Bucks Should Already Be Considering
Grinding their way toward a playoff berth, the Milwaukee Bucks certainly don't have their full attention aimed at the 2015 NBA draft. Regardless, it's never too early to think about the summer's biggest spectacle—especially for a team that's building for the future.
Even with a solid core in place, Bucks management will be faced with several big questions this June. What position has the biggest hole as far as talent? Where could the team use added depth? Which player can provide some much-needed offensive firepower?
These are all legitimate issues to ponder, and with their pick likely being outside of the lottery, it'll be hard for the Bucks to find the perfect fits for certain needs.
However, the following names—under the assumption that they each declare for the draft—should, if nothing else, fall on the Bucks' watch list as summer quickly approaches.
Trey Lyles, Freshman, Kentucky
Following college basketball isn't a requirement to know that Kentucky's freshman class is as stacked as it gets. And while players like Karl-Anthony Towns and Willie Cauley-Stein are almost considered locks to be selected in the top 10, Trey Lyles is one who may end up being selected more toward the middle of the first round.
In its 2015 mock draft, NBADraft.net currently has Milwaukee picking 17th, with Lyles going six picks earlier at No. 11. Meanwhile, DraftExpress has Lyles falling all the way to 25.
Lyles, who doesn't get the attention that some of his teammates get, stands at 6'10" and is having a solid year, especially on the offensive end. The freshman is averaging 8.3 points, 5.0 rebounds and 1.2 assists while shooting 51.1 percent from the floor.
Those numbers don't jump off the page, but a large part of that is because the Wildcats are so deep and head coach John Calipari has to find minutes for many.
At the end of 2013, NBADraft.net's Wes Hinton noted the following about Lyles:
"Trey is an extremely skilled offensive player with great footwork. He has a great face up game and the ability to consistently hit 15-18 foot shots. Highly skilled and polished 4. Has the potential to be a great pick-and-pop guy. Consistent right-handed jump hook in the post. Good rebounder who grabs every rebound strong with two hands. Outstanding outlet passer who also passes well out of the post finding open three-point shooters. Smart, fundamental player. Runs the floor well. Not a shot-blocker but is a solid defender who uses his strength to guard in the post and his 7-foot wingspan to contest shots. Good length with a 7-foot wingspan.
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Replacing Larry Sanders will be one of the Bucks' top priorities, and finding a player in the draft may be one way of doing that. While, as Hinton illustrates, Lyles isn't Sanders in terms of his shot-blocking ability, he plays solid defense and is able to provide a diverse array of production on the offensive end.
That's something the Bucks could desperately use, despite Zaza Pachulia's solid play this season.
Cliff Alexander, Freshman, Kansas
Given his prominence coming out of high school—he was Scout.com's sixth-ranked player—Cliff Alexander hasn't had the freshman season that would be expected of someone so highly touted.
Alexander has averaged 7.1 points, 5.3 rebounds and 1.3 blocks while shooting 56.6 percent from the field in 17.3 minutes per game. That's not bad by most measures, but given his McDonald's All-American status, those numbers are far less than expected.
Regardless, that's not what the Bucks will be focused on when making their selection.
In John Henson—the team's brightest, most youthful post presence—Milwaukee has a lengthy player who possesses a fair amount of athleticism along with excellent touch around the rim. What this team lacks, though, is a bruising presence in the paint and someone who is willing to get physical on a nightly basis.
Pachulia is a veteran who isn't afraid to scrap, but he isn't a viable long-term option, and the Bucks will need to find young talent on the interior now that Sanders is no longer with the team.
Alexander is raw offensively—much like Sanders was—but possesses an NBA-ready body, so he can immediately step in and, at the least, provide the team with rebounding and strong defense.
Truthfully, that's about all you can expect when picking outside of the lottery.
The youngster certainly won't become a star overnight—and he may never become one at all—but he can immediately make an impact by doing the little things.
And sometimes, that's just as important.
Damian Jones, Sophomore, Vanderbilt
If you thought things were heading in a different direction after the suggestion of two big men, think again.
Certainly the Bucks could go with a shooting guard, but outside of that position, center is where they need the greatest amount of assistance.
And someone who could fit that role is the lesser-known Damian Jones from Vanderbilt.
DraftExpress currently has Jones going No. 18 overall, meaning he's someone the Bucks should certainly keep an eye on as draft day slowly approaches.
The 6'10" Commodore has averaged 14.3 points, 6.2 rebounds and 2.0 blocks while shooting 54.8 percent from the floor, making him a valuable commodity on offense and defense. Not only that, but Jones also performed well against a supreme Kentucky frontcourt in the lone meeting between the two teams this season.
In that game, Jones scored 11 points and hauled in seven rebounds while sending two shots away. Of course, those numbers aren't exactly stupendous, but considering the competition, they're pretty impressive.
And, according to Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress, Jones is a solid offensive post player, which is something the Bucks could use more of:
"Jones saw almost half of his offensive possessions with his back to the basket last season, a significant share (certainly for a player his age) that ranked him in the top-30 players in college basketball in terms of sheer volume. He was relatively productive there, hitting 50% of his field goal attempts, as he has a nice skill-level relative to his lack of experience. Jones has solid footwork inside the paint, to go along with soft touch and the ability to finish with either hand. He doesn't have the most diverse post-arsenal at this stage and is limited somewhat by his lack of strength, but he shows flashes of ability knocking down jump-hooks and executing pretty spin moves, even throwing in the occasional turnaround jump-shot.
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Givony also mentions that while Jones is not a great rebounder at this point, his weak-side defense is something to note and is certainly evidenced by his 2.0 blocks per game this season.
Admittedly, it has been difficult to gauge the development and potential of Henson. Additionally, Pachulia isn't getting any younger and isn't an ideal solution moving forward. The Bucks have almost every other position accounted for.
Now, they must secure the future at center.
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