Milwaukee Bucks: 5 Bigs to Know for 2020 NBA Draft

With the NBA season on a hiatus, let’s take a look at five bigs that could end up with the Milwaukee Bucks in the 2020 NBA Draft.

As the NBA is figuring out what to do with the rest of their season, there will be a 2020 NBA Draft at some point. And when that some point gets here, the Milwaukee Bucks will likely have the 18th (or so) pick.

Although this draft class isn’t heavy at the top, it’s fairly deep. Especially where the Bucks are concerned. They could find themselves in a position to draft someone who can make a difference in Year 2 or 3 if not right away. That’s a great commodity to have for a team that is right up against the luxury tax.

This year’s class is DOMINATED by point guards through and through. The wings and big sprinkle in around the points, making it difficult to find a solid match. Regardless, here are five bigs who could be around when the Bucks are on the clock.

Jalen Smith, Maryland

Jalen Smith matches what Mike Budenholzer expects from his bigs. He’s long (6-foot-10 with a 7.1.5 wingspan), can shoot from the outside (36.8 percent on threes) and rebounds the basketball very well (10.5 rebounds per game). He also works his tail off and is a high I.Q. defensive player. Unfortunately, he struggles to defend the pick-and-roll, one of the primary duties a Bucks’ big takes on. He’ll need to improve his lateral quickness to make it on that end of the floor.

Isaiah Stewart, Washington

A muscular ball of athleticism, Isaiah Stewart has most of the physical tools to excel in the NBA. He’s strong, has great length (7-foot-4 wingspan) and plays hard. Unfortunately, he lacks vertical explosiveness and that’s something pretty important as an undersized (6-foot-9) big. He also lacks consistency in his shot. Despite flashing some potential as a shooter, he has a lot of work to do with his mechanics.

Precious Achiuwa, Memphis

Another long, lengthy big (6-foot-9 with a 7-foot-2 wingspan), Precious Achiuwa also fits the energetic category as well. He’s a monster on the boards with some ability to bring the ball up the court himself after one of those rebounds. He’s also a versatile defender and can guard multiple positions. He lacks shooting tough of any kind, however, a potential dealbreaker for Milwaukee.

Aleksej Pokusevski, Serbia

Aleksej Pokusevski is a long string bean. At 7-foot and 201 pounds, he’ll need to add some serious muscle to his frame to succeed in the NBA. Fortunately, he handles and moves like a wing on the basketball court–with or without the ball. He also has a good shooting stroke and should become a floor-spacing big in his career.

Obi Toppin, Dayton

Obi Toppin is the one guy who most likely won’t be on the board by the time the Bucks are on the clock. The redshirt sophomore loves to play above the rim and is a major pick-and-roll threat; he can also handle the rock and shoot as well. His weakness is on defense–just about everything to do with defense. He’s not a good individual defender, gets exposed in pick-and-rolls and doesn’t help his teammates very well either. He’ll need to work to improve on that end to become a complete player.