#2 - Milwaukee Bucks

Mary Langenfeld/USA TODAY Sports

What I'd Do:

Jabari Parker - Duke

6’8” (7’ wingspan), 241 lbs., 03/15/1995

Oh, Milwaukee. So their 2013 offseason plan didn’t really pay off as they intended. Instead of supplementing a young core of bigs, their free agency and trade additions alternated between injury and ineffectiveness, leading to the worst record in the league (!) and this second overall pick. The then-NBA record sale of $550 million (!!) to the Lasry/Edens group in April gives the franchise some long-term stability in Milwaukee and has already brought energy (and attractive daughters) to a fanbase that had to listen to relocation rumors throughout the sale process. The fanbase exists and can ratchet up their rabid-ness when given talented teams but this current roster is far from talented.

After Larry Sanders’s chaotic season (no NBA player needs a publicist more), Giannis Antetokounmpo might be their only true “prospect” or building block, which at the least allows them to draft the best player available at number two. It should be tough to end up with a Darko Milicic or Hasheem Thabeet or Evan Turner in this draft, and picking second might even alleviate some pressure and tough decisions.

General manager John Hammond and assistant-GM David Morway are safe for the season but job preservation could influence their draft philosophy, which is partly why I have them taking Jabari Parker here. This team won’t make the playoffs next season no matter who they draft but a potential 20 point per game scorer and Rookie of the Year contender gives them a solid foundation to build around.

From there you can maybe talk yourself into Larry Sanders resolving some off-court issues and rebounding and blocking shots competently or Giannis developing into the poor man’s Pippen to Jabari’s poor man’s Jordan. Jabari’s position is an issue, as will be his passing and perimeter game (although he was at 36% from 3 at Duke), and his arrival could conflict with Giannis’s or John Henson’s development.

You could dream on the athletic potential of a (Knight/)Wiggins/Giannis/Henson/Sanders line-up for days but, honestly, I don’t trust the developmental abilities of head coach Larry Drew and an upper management situation in lame-duck status. Jabari is safer and will lead his draft class in scoring next season for the Milwaukee Bucks.

What I Think They'll Do:

Jabari. John Hammond was Executive of the Year in 2010 during the “Fear the Deer” run and isn’t trying to lose his job over doing anything crazy in the draft (shout-out, Chris Grant!). By all accounts (and by that I mean early versions of Chad Ford’s mock drafts), Hammond's had Jabari ranked higher than Wiggins throughout the draft process and if they’re at all close in their evaluations, I think the Bucks lean towards the safer-Jabari. Not that they're on the same tier as far as potential but Hammond could have concerns that Wiggins and Giannis might share similar skill-sets and opt for the offensive aptitude of Parker. 

If Joel Embiid isn’t drafted first overall then they have a debate on their hands and start fielding Larry Sanders offers. The temptation of a franchise big would supersede the appeal of a franchise scorer, especially given Embiid's almost-unlimited potential on both ends.

Crazy Draft Day Trade:

My first inclination with the Bucks is to add picks and acquire more young talent. Coupled with their rumored interest in Dante Exum, I could see them calling Orlando and discussing something around the #2 for #4 and #12. However Orlando seems pretty locked in early on Exum and has a need at point guard, so unless they fall in love with Wiggins or Jabari it might be tough to match-up.

I can’t think of a scenario where Philly sacrifices the #10 just to move up a spot, knowing that Milwaukee probably wouldn’t take Wiggins. If there’s a team in the league that needs talent as much as Milwaukee, it’s the 76ers. Boston, with picks at #6 and #17, might be too far of a drop for Milwaukee and takes them out of a whole tier or two as far as talent. The Bucks are too far away from contention to be in on the veteran trade market and need to acquire players as far away from free agency as possible at this point.

If I’m Orlando, though, I’m talking myself into doing that deal and riding with a backcourt of Victor Oladipo and Andrew Wiggins that destroys the league defensively for the next 10 years. Milwaukee might have to wait another year or two for Exum to develop into a 20 PPG scorer but fills a long-term position of need and enables them to grab a wing player at #12 (Gary Harris/Nik Stauskas/James Young-range).