Bucks General Manager Jon Horst - Photo by AP
MILWAUKEE, WI (WSAU) – The 2024 NBA Draft begins tonight at 7 PM CST on ESPN, and the Milwaukee Bucks are seen by some league insiders as a team that could be involved in a blockbuster deal to move up or acquire other veteran pieces.
According to NBA Draft.net, the Bucks should stay put with their two picks and take former Illinois shooting guard Terrance Shannon and former Washington State forward Jaylen Wells. Shannon is seen by some scouts as possibly one of the most underrated players in this draft class, with some comparing him to Cleveland Cavaliers star Donavon Mitchell due to his big-time scoring ability, while Wells is seen as more of a developmental player but showed promise in his junior year, with the Cougars shooting 42% from three-point range last season.
NBC Sports’ Raphielle Johnson has a slightly different take for the Bucks but agrees that if Milwaukee does trade a player like Brook Lopez or Bobby Portis Jr., their draft picks should remain untouched and should select former Baylor guard Ja’Kobe Walter if he falls to 23rd overall and former California guard Jaylon Tyson at 33rd overall. Walter dominated during his freshman year, with the Bears totaling eight games with four or more three-pointers made and 75 threes made throughout the season. However, Tyson remains a mystery player due to most experts not agreeing on where he’ll go, with some having him go mid-first round while others have him still on the board for Milwaukee at 33. Tyson, who stands 6’7, is seen as a point forward in the NBA due to his strong playmaking abilities and shooting 36% from three-point range at Cal in 2023.
At this time, a trade involving Lopez or Portis Jr. doesn’t seem imminent, but if the Bucks do make a deal happen as it seems that they’d like to, Milwaukee will likely go big with their picks, taking one of Ja’Kobe Walter’s former teammates at Baylor in Yves Messi, according to the New York Post. Messi has just three years of basketball experience after coming to the U.S. from Cameroon, but he showed his defensive and dunking abilities during his time at Baylor. Other players being picked by Milwaukee in mock drafts include Virginia forward Ryan Dunn, Indiana center Kel’el Ware, USC point guard Isaiah Collier, and G-League forward Tyler Smith.
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