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Milwaukee Bucks roundtable: Predictions on who they will take in the 2018 NBA Draft

By Brian Sampson

BOSTON, MA - MARCH 25: Zhaire Smith #2 of the Texas Tech Red Raiders attempts to dunk the ball against Mikal Bridges #25 of the Villanova Wildcats during the second half in the 2018 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament East Regional at TD Garden on March 25, 2018 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
BOSTON, MA - MARCH 25: Zhaire Smith #2 of the Texas Tech Red Raiders attempts to dunk the ball against Mikal Bridges #25 of the Villanova Wildcats during the second half in the 2018 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament East Regional at TD Garden on March 25, 2018 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images) /
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DAYTON, OH – MARCH 13: Aaron Holiday #3 of the UCLA Bruins reacts against the St. Bonaventure Bonnies during the first half of the First Four game in the 2018 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at UD Arena on March 13, 2018 in Dayton, Ohio. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
DAYTON, OH – MARCH 13: Aaron Holiday #3 of the UCLA Bruins reacts against the St. Bonaventure Bonnies during the first half of the First Four game in the 2018 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at UD Arena on March 13, 2018 in Dayton, Ohio. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) /

3. If you were a betting man, which player is most likely to hear his name called and hoist a Bucks jersey come June 21?

Mike Wendlandt: I would lean toward Zhaire Smith being the Bucks pick on June 21. The Texas Tech wing has everything Mike Budenholzer likes out of his guards. He is long, athletic and plays great defense at a young age. His shooting stroke needs work still but working with guys like Tony Snell and Khris Middleton will only help him develop. A trio of those guys could be absolutely dominant on the perimeter defensively and would help cover for the deficiencies of Jabari Parker and Thon Maker on the less glamorous end of the floor in the second unit.

Beyond that, taking a younger prospect could be a good thing for the team as well, especially one who could see the floor right away. Smith has the right attitude to be a guy who can develop much more than a guy like D.J. Wilson did last year. His explosive athleticism will play and his defensive instincts will get him on the floor early on while he develops his offensive game. A second unit of Brogdon, Parker, Smith, Thon Maker is a great bench group to bring in.

Brian Sampson: I’ve seen the Bucks linked to a point guard early and often since the end of the season, but I think they are okay at that position in 2018. What they really need is a wing to backup Middleton and Snell.

Shooting is what all the noise is about so I’m going to put my money on Jacob Evans. He can provide the necessary spacing and knock down spot-up shots from the perimeter. But he can also play good defense and give the Bucks another option on that end of the floor since Snell had a very up and down year. He’d go well with second-year pro Sterling Brown as well. Money on the wood, makes the bet good! And I’m going with Evans.

Gage Bridgford: When looking at the board, a player like Holiday out of UCLA has a very good chance of becoming a Buck on draft night. Holiday is projected to go in the early 20s to late teens, which gives him a good chance of being on the board when the team drafts. The Bucks needs additional shooters to throw around Antetokounmpo when they leave him as the sole starter while the other four rest on the bench.

When looking at lineups like that from the past season, the majority of those shooters were at 36 percent three-point percentage or lower. Holiday and his 41 percent would be an instant upgrade for Milwaukee. Some may see this pick as a bit of a reach, but Holiday would quickly silence those doubters, as he’d fill a role similar to the one Fred VanVleet did with the Toronto Raptors this past season.

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