Ranking the Milwaukee Bucks Biggest Needs in the 2015 NBA Draft
After picking second a year ago, the Milwaukee Bucks look to the 2015 NBA Draft with a different focus in mind. Instead of selecting a franchise-changing player, they'll look to solidify a roster that made an unexpected turnaround.
As draft day gets closer then, what are the biggest needs for this team in order to make strides in the right direction for the 2015-16 season?
The loss of Larry Sanders certainly leaves a void in the middle, while there is undoubtedly a gap at the shooting guard position. Or maybe consistent shooters are the top priority.
Here are the top three priorities—ranked from least important to most important—the Bucks should focus on in this month's draft.
3. Starting Shooting Guard
O.J. Mayo has fallen well short of living up to expectations and that has left the team in a bit of a predicament when it comes to the shooting guard position.
The veteran averaged 11.4 points on 42.2 percent shooting from the field and 35.7 percent from three-point territory in 71 games. Aside from a 14-game stint as a starter, he spent the rest of his time coming off the bench.
Khris Middleton saw time at the position as well, and he definitely posted good numbers on the season. At 6'7", he's perfectly capable of playing shooting guard, but as a restricted free agent, there is the possibility he may not be back next season.
Picking at No. 17 overall, the Bucks won't have the best options possible, but they should still be able to find a shooting guard should they choose to go that route.
UNLV's Rashad Vaughn should still be available when the team's pick comes up, and he would be a solid option. Additionally, they could focus their attention on defensive-minded Norman Powell from UCLA or the offensively talented R.J. Hunter from Georgia State.
They may or may not decide to go this route in the first round, but it wouldn't hurt, and there are clearly some respectable names around during the latter portion of round one.
2. Shooters
The second item on the agenda for the Bucks as the draft draws near is the need for shooters. This pain point somewhat ties into the lack of a starting shooting guard, but the issue is more widespread.
Despite the fact that the team connected on 36.3 percent of its threes—which ranked No. 6—they need to find a long-range threat that can hit with a little bit more consistency. Like other aspects of their game, they struggled during the season's second half, hitting just 31.0 percent from deep.
Should he fall to the Bucks, Kentucky's Devin Booker would be a very good choice to fill the shooting void. The 6'6" prospect is a prototypical shooting guard and connected on 41.1 percent of the three-pointers he took during his lone season of college ball.
If Booker is gone by the time they're on the clock—and he likely will be—the Bucks could opt to take Vaughn or wait until their second-round pick and take a chance on someone like Eastern Washington's Tyler Harvey, who shot 43.1 percent from behind the three-point line this past season and led the nation in scoring at 23.1 points per game.
Whether or not the shooting of the aforementioned players will translate to the NBA level is a question without a definite answer at this point, but that is the kind of consistent shooting the Bucks will need if they are to make a deeper run in the postseason.
Outside of the top issue, shooting is clearly one of the biggest areas in which they need help.
1. A Post Presence
After a tumultuous few seasons dealing with the antics of Larry Sanders, the Bucks were finally able to rid themselves of the disgruntled big man. He and the team were able to reach an agreement on a buyout, according to Charles F. Gardner of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, and even though the team will still owe him money for quite some time, it's nice to have him off the roster.
However, with only Zaza Pachulia and John Henson as legitimate post options, the team could certainly use some more help in the paint.
Fortunately, the 2015 draft gives them a few options.
Myles Turner of Texas is a player who, like Sanders, could immediately step in and provide the team with a defensive presence in the post. He possesses quality shot-blocking capabilities and can step out and knock down perimeter jump shots when needed. That's something neither Henson nor Pachulia can do with regularity.
Another potential big man who may still be around when Milwaukee is on the clock is Wisconsin's own Frank Kaminsky.
The 7'1" big man possesses a unique skill set, with the ability to step out and hit threes while being extremely efficient in the paint due to his excellent footwork and shot-making ability. It'd be a pick which would certainly appease most Bucks fans, and it may actually be one that would make sense.
He won't provide a great deal in the way of defense, but with the team's perimeter defense being as good as it is, that might not matter too much.
Regardless, the most important need on the agenda for the Bucks this summer is finding someone who can score on the block and do so with efficiency. In order to take the next step, they must find a center they can get some value out of offensively.
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