Milwaukee Bucks: 2020 Mock Draft Roundup 1.0

A date has been set for the 2020 NBA Draft, so let’s take a look at who some of the draft analysts have the Milwaukee Bucks selecting in Round 1.

With the sports world on hold the past few months, the NBA now has a plan in place to finish out the 2019-2020 season, which of course is good news for the Milwaukee Bucks who have asserted themselves as one of the top teams in the league once again. And in addition to the season returning, we also just learned when the draft is going to be held.

On Thursday, sources told Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN that the draft lottery would be held on August 25th and the draft will take place on October 15th. Just after the season comes to an end.

When it comes to the Milwaukee Bucks, who will hopefully be making a run to the NBA Finals once play resumes, their first-round selection will come in the 19 to 20 range depending on how the Indiana Pacers finish out the season. As I’m sure you recall, Milwaukee received Indiana’s first-round pick as part of the Malcolm Brogdon sign and trade.

While just about everyone’s attention during the offseason is going to be on Giannis Antetokounmpo and if he signs the super-max deal, the Milwaukee Bucks also have several free agents that they’ll have to make decisions on.

This list includes Pat Connaughton, Marvin Williams, Sterling Brown (restricted free agent), and Kyle Korver. Not to mention that Robin Lopez and Wes Matthews have player options in their contracts.

The effects of no fans in the stands on the salary cap is still an unknown but it could be dropping instead of increasing. Meanwhile, Brook Lopez, Khris Middleton, and Eric Bledsoe’s contracts are still fairly fresh, and with a potential Giannis super-max deal on the horizon, the Bucks just aren’t going to have a ton of spendable cap space to utilize in free agency.

That means in order to continue reloading this roster after some potential key free-agent departures, hitting on their draft picks so they have young, cost-controlled talent is going to be a must.

Now with all of that in mind, despite the uncertainty of when the draft was going to be held, mock drafts have still been released. So let’s take a look at who a few draft analysts have the Milwaukee Bucks selecting in the first round.

Jeremy Woo – Sports Illustrated

Saddiq Bey, F, Villanova / 6’8″ – 215 pounds

2019-20 stats: 33.9 mpg, 45.1 3P%, 16.1 ppg, 4.7 rbg, 2.4 apg

"“Although Bey lacks starry upside, he offers some positional optionality on both ends of the floor, makes winning plays, and has a simple path to becoming a useful rotation player in the NBA, which makes him a solid option for a good team like Milwaukee in the back half of the first round. It’s hard to see him going too much higher than this given his age and lack of scoring upside, but the Villanova pedigree is going to help him, and he has the size to play both forward spots.As long as his shooting holds up, he may be best-suited as a small-ball power forward, where you can take advantage of his defensive versatility and remove any pressure to create offense for himself. He’s a good fit for how the Bucks want to play and is easy to superimpose into a bench role in relatively short order.”"

Rob Dauster – NBC Sports

Jaden McDaniels, F, Washington / 6’9″ – 200 pounds

2019-20 stats: 31.1 mpg, 33.9 3P%, 13.0 ppg, 5.8 rpg, 2.1 apg

"“On the one hand, it is very easy to see why McDaniels is such a tantalizing prospect. Players with his size and his length aren’t supposed to be able to do the things that he does on the perimeter. He has impressive handle, he can knock down tough perimeter jumpers and every once in a while he will do something during a game that will make it to the House of Highlights page. His ‘wow’ moments pop.On the other hand, McDaniels is 200 pounds soaking wet with slender shoulders and skinny legs. He hasn’t handled contact all that well this season, and he is not all that explosive of an athlete. And during Pac-12 play, all of the red flags came to the forefront. Emotional outbursts led to far too many technical fouls. He led the Pac-12 in fouls and turnovers. He averaged just 11 points during conference play. He was benched for the last ten games, and Washington wasn’t definitively better with him on the floor.He’s the lottery ticket in this 2020 NBA mock draft.”"

Joe Tansey – Bleacher Report

Jahmi’us Ramsey, SG, Texas Tech / 6’4″ – 195 pounds

2019-20 stats: 31.2 mpg, 42.6 3P%, 15.0 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 2.2 apg

Kyle Boone – CBS Sports

Jahmi’us Ramsey, SG, Texas Tech / 6’4″ – 195 pounds

2019-20 stats: 31.2 mpg, 42.6 3P%, 15.0 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 2.2 apg

"“Jahmi’us Ramsey is a very good shooter in pretty much every situation: off dribble handoffs, running off screens, and spotting up. There lies the value for a Milwaukee team predicated on spacing the floor with shooters around Giannis. He rated in the 91st percentile as a catch and shoot scorer last season in the half court at Texas Tech.”"

Jonathan Givony and Mike Schmitz – ESPN

Nico Mannion, PG, Arizona / 6’3″ – 190 pounds

2019-20 stats: 32.3 mpg, 32.7 3P%, 14.0 ppg, 2.5 rpg, 5.3 apg

"“Although the passing creativity, deep shooting range and unselfishness of Mannion is tempting, the Bucks likely will be looking to add wing depth and additional shooting to the roster. That makes Nesmith appealing if Milwaukee can snag him with Indiana’s pick.”"

Jeff Goodman – Stadium

Nico Mannion, PG, Arizona / 6’3″ – 190 pounds

2019-20 stats: 32.3 mpg, 32.7 3P%, 14.0 ppg, 2.5 rpg, 5.3 apg

"“You never know what you’re gonna get with Eric Bledsoe, and the Bucks could use another point guard option. Mannion is a well-rounded point guard who was inconsistent last season at Arizona.”"

All stats via College Basketball Reference