Milwaukee Bucks 2015 Mock Draft: 1st and 2nd Round Predictions
By Peter Myhrer
With the Milwaukee Bucks currently holding down the sixth seed in the Eastern Conference, many fans have started discussing what playoff team the young Bucks would best match up with. However, another question will arise after the inevitable first or second round defeat of the team: Who will the Bucks select in the 2015 NBA Draft?
The Bucks and the future are becoming synonymous with each other and whom the team selects with their first and second round picks will be just as important to the future as who is already on the team.
The current core of the team moving forward is Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jabari Parker, and Khris Middleton. There are also players on the fringe whose fate is yet to be determined like Michael Carter-Williams, John Henson, and Damien Inglis.
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The team also has a number of quality role players like Zaza Pachulia, Ersan Ilyasova, and Jerryd Bayless, but role players come and go and shouldn’t be a major concern until the team is ready to contend. The only one of these veteran role players that is signed past next season is Ersan Ilyasova so much of the roster will probably be wiped fresh for the 2016-17 season.
That being said, the Milwaukee Bucks currently have 13 guys under contract for next season and three picks in the upcoming draft. The roster gets even more crowded if the team is able to sign restricted free agent Khris Middleton back in the offseason.
Assuming Middleton ends up draining threes in Milwaukee for years to come, there’s three possibilities the team will have to go into next season with 15 players on the roster.
1. Waive a Player’s Contract
The team can always waive a player’s contract. The likely candidate for this is last year’s second round pick, Johnny O’Bryant. He has played sparingly in his rookie season and looked over-matched in the minutes he has played. To make the case stronger, O’Bryant is on a very affordable rookie contract which would have a minimal impact on the team’s salary cap moving forward.
2. Trade to Open Roster Spot(s)
Their second option is to work out a trade that sends out more players than they get back in return. The team has a number of affordable veteran contracts that could interest a team that strikes out in free agency or even on draft day.
3. Stash a Draft Pick Overseas
The last option is to use one or more of the team’s two draft picks on a foreign player and stash him overseas. The Bucks wouldn’t have to begin paying him until the player came over and it would keep the roster spot open.
The Bucks currently have to make room for the 17th and 45th pick in the upcoming draft. Here’s who they might select.
Next: Round 1 Pick 17