Can the Bucks draft an impact talent with the No. 10 pick?
There is no denying that the Bucks have some talent.
As individuals, a starting lineup of Michael Carter-Williams, Khris Middleton, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jabari Parker and Greg Monroe seems to have some promise. The issue comes when the quintet is put together.
According to 82games.com, the five-man starting lineup listed above gave up 1.14 points per possession in 2015-16. Swap out Monroe for John Henson, and that total decreases to 0.85 points per possession. Was Monroe that big of a failure?
The easy answer is no – Monroe put together averages of 15.3 points, 8.8 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game in his first season with the Bucks. He is a skilled scorer around the rim, and he has the vision to pass out of the post that many centers around the league strive to emulate. It was on the defensive end where things collapsed.
It shouldn’t be denied that the Bucks have other team needs. The squad is desperate for another perimeter shooter in the starting lineup, preferably coming from the point guard position where Carter-Williams has underwhelmed. The team also had one of the shortest benches in the league, with only the comically-underused Henson and Jerryd Bayless seeing significant time off the pine.
Shooting and depth aside, the direction of the No. 10 pick will come down to a decision regarding the future of Greg Monroe. The Bucks signed the big man from Georgetown to a three-year deal last summer (third year is a player option), beating out offers from Portland and New York to secure his services. The Bucks should look to deal Monroe now, as he is not a fit with the current roster and is unlikely to stick with the team beyond next season anyways.
A trade surrounding Monroe could net another big man or a shooter, but his absence most likely creates a void in the middle that needs to be replaced. Even in the instance that Monroe is kept around, adding a center of the future should be a top priority this offseason.
Picking at No. 10, Milwaukee won’t get a shot at many of the top prospects, from Ben Simmons and Brandon Ingram to Jaylen Brown and Marquese Chriss. The top realistic interior players for Milwaukee to look at are Utah big man Jakob Poeltl, Marquette post Henry Ellenson, Michigan State power forward Deyonta Davis, Kentucky power forward Skal Labissiere and Gonzaga center Domantas Sabonis.
Ellenson, Davis and Labissiere are all better suited to play power forward long term, which makes their selection less likely than Poeltl or Sabonis. With Henson, Parker and even Antetokounmpo in the fold, drafting a pure center is a more realistic move.
The top player left on the board has a great chance to be Poeltl, who dazzled the Pac-12 with his interior touch and nimble footwork. Poeltl put together averages of 17.2 points, 9.1 rebounds and 1.9 assists per game for the Utes, while also posting a defensive rating of 98.5 points allowed per 100 possessions. On a broad scale, he replicates what Monroe can do offensively while providing an enhanced layer of rim protection.
At 7-0 and 230 pounds, Poeltl is well-suited to play center in the NBA, and many mock drafts around the web say he will be available at No. 10 when Milwaukee is on the clock. Here at the Lottery Mafia, Poeltl is slotted No. 10 to Milwaukee; he goes No. 12 to Utah in ESPN’s mock, and CBS’ Gary Parrish also puts him at No. 10. Toronto at No. 9 is a possibility to select Poeltl, as predicted by DraftExpress and CBS Sports’ Sam Vecenie.
Milwaukee is not far away from making a push back to playoff contention. Solving the interior defensive issues this summer are of paramount concern, and adding a center like Poeltl in the draft could help solve the woes in Bucks country.
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