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Coming off an early playoff exit for the third time in four seasons, this off-season is crucial for the Milwaukee Bucks. Brook Lopez and Khris Middleton are both free agents and the Bucks do not have much cap space to work with.
This leaves the NBA Draft as the cheapest way for the Bucks to improve their squad. The Bucks acquired the 36th overall pick from the Orlando Magic, sending a 2030 second-rounder and cash to Orlando. Milwaukee then drafted UConn wing Andre Jackson Jr. With the franchise's own draft pick — number 58 overall — the Bucks took Kentucky wing Chris Livingston.
Milwaukee's solid draft class creates a strong platform for the future but did not alleviate concerns about the team's future needs. Here is where the Bucks misstepped in the 2023 NBA Draft.
Bucks: 1 big mistake in 2023 NBA Draft
Not preparing for the possible departure of Brook Lopez
Wing players — especially those that can defend multiple positions and shoot — are invaluable in the NBA these days. The Bucks added wings with both of their 2023 NBA Draft picks — Andre Jackson of UConn and Chris Livingston from Kentucky. Each of them has an impressive wing span, strong defense, and an offensive game that is still developing.
They will be useful pieces — Jackson in particular — come playoff time when defense and defensive versatility become so crucial to winning games. The Bucks lacked these qualities this spring, and it cost them in their series against the Miami Heat.
What the Bucks failed to add though was frontcourt depth. Brook Lopez is an unrestricted free agent this summer, though the Bucks can use their Bird Rights to exceed the salary cap and re-sign him. Even if Milwaukee does re-sign Lopez, the seven-footer is 35 years old and the question becomes how many years does the veteran center have left? 2022/23 was Lopez's best year in a Bucks uniform in terms of points, rebounds, and blocks per game, but he cannot maintain that level of play forever.
Behind Lopez is Bobby Portis, and as good as Portis is defensively, he does not offer the same rim protection that Lopez does. Other than that, Giannis can play as a center defensively while Portis shifts to the four spot. That still leaves Meyers Leonard — 12 games played over the last three seasons — as the only other true big man.
Milwaukee was never going to get a replacement for Lopez in the second round, but the franchise could have (and should have) taken a chance on a developmental player. Washington State seven-footer Mohammed Gueye was still available at pick 36. Gueye offers the height, athleticism, and perimeter shooting potential to assume some of Lopez's responsibilities down the road.
The likelier spot for drafting a big man though would have been the 58th overall pick. Colin Castleton — a 6-11 center (with a 7-4 wingspan) from Florida blocked three shots per game in his final collegiate senior and has the foot speed to defend the pick-and-roll. Defensive-minded center Charles Bediako (Alabama) was also available post-draft.
Instead, the Bucks picked up Gonzaga big man Drew Timme — the antithesis of Brook Lopez — as an undrafted free agent. Timme was one of the best inside scorers college basketball has ever seen but lacked the size and athleticism to be an effective defender in college. Though not a must-have, Timme's lack of an outside shot also hurts his NBA value.
The Bucks' draft picks and post-draft pickups suggest that the team will re-sign Brook Lopez, but even so, he cannot anchor the Milwaukee defense forever. And with so many rim-protecting big men available in the draft, the Bucks made a massive mistake.
