NBA draft: What should we expect for Milwaukee Bucks; Darvin Ham’s return, Celtics champions
hello everybody the point forward podcast is back with you first time uh well second time since the season has ended my name is J.R Radcliffe I am with the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and I am joined by my colleagues Milwaukee Journal Sentinel luminaries Ben steel and Jim ozari we’re here to talk a little about the Milwaukee Bucks about their draft about what they might do with the 23rd pick in the first round or the 33rd pick in the second round for that matter we’re going to talk a little about Marquette guys there’s a couple names that people know oo igodo and Tyler kak who could be available in that first round spot where the Bucks are picking so uh so Ben is here Ben brings his Mark hat and his bucks expertise to the table uh but uh but Jim I I have to start with you because you wrote at jsonline.com and honestly it’s just really complicated what the Bucks are facing and all the different machinations that they’re up against as far as the salary cap and what can be expected for the offseason and it’s a it’s a really big mey conversation but even just keeping it to the draft is is tricky because like I am not personally unclear on if they expect to keep the 23rd player the the player that they draft if that’s going to happen or if it’s definitely an asset that they’re going to trade it’s it’s very confusing to me you know it seems like they might keep a player but I have no idea so what do you just just from that standpoint do you think the Milwaukee Bucks will have one or two new players at the end of next week or do you think these are purely assets and nobody should get in you shouldn’t even read the mock drafts because it’s pretty likely the Bucks aren’t going to keep any of these players um there’s a part of me that that looks at predent and that precedent would be Marjan boan being selected at 24 um there was obviously thought could the Bucks move that um but they don’t really have a whole lot of picks they I believe they don’t have one next year there’s swaps involved so if there’s the idea of we need young players who are under contract for the next five years uh yeah I could totally see John hor and his staff saying hey this is a player we can pick we can develop and in three years you know maybe is is some kind of rotation player um that would make all the sense in the world uh the second round pick look I mean that’s sort of what Andre Jackson was last year um and second round picks I have gained some traction is capital uh of late obviously the Bucks had moved all of theirs uh for various veterans over the years they got this one back in the Lillard trade actually um that that one I can see as being sort of a sweetener you know as a you know we’re GNA move one of the veterans under contract so here’s this second round pick uh to go out with it um so I could see both right like it it’s and even with the first round pick being a sweetener of such um Ben you know knows the college game very well this is not a draft where you know what’s the difference between 23 and 33 what’s the difference between 18 and 23 uh that could either be good or bad for the bucks depending what they want to do um or whom they they want to trade with or for Jr so yeah I think it either could be really exciting draft night or a very boring one um I I will say the sort of the third option here for Bucks fans to to consider um just because the Bucks make the picks let’s say they pick at 23 they pick at 33 and there are no trades on draft day as long as the Bucks don’t sign those picks they can still be attached to a veteran trade the first week of July the second week of July uh because they’re not technically signed players therefore they are not an aggregated salary so yeah like let’s say they pick Let’s just say Tyler Kik since SP here Tyler Kik is drafted at number 23 we go through the whole thing and then on July 14th the draft rights to Tyler Kik and Pat Conan are sent off to The Ether right and it it it won’t count as an aggregated salary because he he had not signed his deal so there’s the third Loop in there JR for people to sort of um consider I guess as as the draft happens and then moves on so it feels like to me they’d have to have a deal in place in advance of that because you’re not GNA draft Tyler KCK just because now the asset isn’t the 23rd pick it’s got a name attached to it so exactly any team that wants to trade for veteran and might is gonna want that specific player man Ben tell me about this draft like what is the difference between the 18th and the 23rd pick that scenario that Jim mentioned I mean it sounds like honestly this sounds like maybe the worst draft of our lifetimes like that’s kind of how it’s being portrayed so what how do you look at it like is are the Bucks fortunate to be 23rd because hey they could also be number 10 and it wouldn’t matter because we’re talking about the same level of player yeah honestly there might not be a difference between like 12 and and 58 whenever the last team picks you know because two guys forfeited two teams forfeited their draft picks but um you know people have said this is the worst draft since 2013 but I would say for the bucks they got Giannis in that draft at number 15 right when no one was expecting that there’s always players there’s always players that emerge in any draft this draft might not have like the the top level stars like the Zion you know Anthony Daves that that most drafts have at at the top of the draft but there there’s going to be players available in this draft and you know it’s it’s up to your scouting departments to dig through all this this morass and and find those diamonds in the rof yeah uh if they could get another Giannis that would be spectacular they should absolutely do that whatever it takes to to get another Giannis um so so Jim I just um one of the one of the names that that keeps bubbling up here as we talk about this stuff is Brook Lopez you know Kevin oconor of the ringer who’s one of my my favorite guys I’ve brought him up before but you know he talked about how that could be a really interesting maneuver for the bucks if they decide to change the way they look defensively obviously Brook Lopez is very is getting up there and and if they decided to move him the the gymnastics that would be required to make that happen as you kind of laid out like it it can’t it can’t be multiple players for one player or they’re going to end up getting hard capped which is going to completely limit what they can do going forward so you’ve got to find a team that would be willing to take him and also be willing to kind of work with the way the the money works I don’t even have a good handle on how this would work but let’s say let’s say the Bucks decided we are ready to move on from Brook Lopez what comes next how do they use the draft to make that happen or not happen how what are the roadblocks what what what comes next if that’s what their decision is first of all how ironic would that be if they move Brook Lopez to run a more very defensive scheme when Adrien Griffin they thought that’s what he was gonna do and then they resigned Brook Lopez and then they tried to do that and then the guys didn’t want to do it and then Le I mean that that’s a whole other thing Adrian’s if that happens Adrian’s got sitting wherever he’s sitting being like but anyway um to make this simple um okay you mentioned the ringer the the reason he brings that up is Bruce Brown makes $23 million uh on this team option with the Raptors Bruce Brown is that 28-year-old Wing Defender Championship pedigree the Bucks could literally trade Brook Lopez for Bruce brown one for one um easy peasy like it the salaries match the dollar Ford dooll matches there’s no aggregation on the buck side um I’m guessing the Raptors would want to sweetener I I I I just don’t think they’re ever one for ones like I feel there’s always some sort of like string attached um that’s easy a harder one let’s say the Cavaliers sign uh hire Kenny ainson as their head coach Kenny Atkinson’s hey I want Brook Lopez I want a stretch five to play with Evan Mobley Jared hey let’s make that happen Jared Allen makes $3 million less money oh that on paper that seems easy but again Jared Allen is younger one more year on on his deal burgeoning Allstar they’re gonna say no we want we want a little sweetener so there’s your picks oh wait a minute the Cavs are a luxury tax team now you have to consider it’s not just moving oh bucks money or bucks players it’s it’s the constraints of the other teams $3 million may not seem like a lot but in Cleveland when you’re looking to sign ever Moy to a Max extens rookie extension you’re looking to sign Donovan Mitchell to an extension the Brook Lopez $3 million this year that’s could be a problem for them as they don’t want to stay in this tax for years and years when those extensions kick in guys so that means do they have to ship off Dean Wade to some third team so you know the D for dollar one for one is possible it would be really clean and easy for everybody but once you get beyond that um it’s difficult and I mentioned Bruce Brown um that look they traded Drew holiday because they got Damen Lillard right like they’re not just gonna move Brooke or move Chris just because like you have to tell me who it is that’s coming back that’s either an all NBA Allstar all defensive team in their Prime can help them win in 24 25 Bruce Brown might check that box um as like a an elite Defender just away from the rim um and then maybe to to Ben you know Ben I I don’t think Zack Edy and kingan will be there at 23 no is where I mean where are you where where are you looking for maybe that that rim protector um because Giannis isn’t going to do that for 82 plus right so like there’s got to be it’s not just as simple as as moving one for ones or or one in a pick J.R and Ben right like these guys there’s so much more into what the Bucks have to do to try to win a title next year than just you know these trade machine transactions uh you said wear you didn’t mean kware the 20-year-old from Indiana but that was a pretty good pretty good segue I might I might say because Ben I want to know the players I want to know the names of the guys that might be available here who could help the bucks now Zack Edy is a name that I think early on was seen as somebody in that lower 20s position mid to lower 20s but teams have either talked themselves into him or or evaluators have mock draft makers have I don’t know but it seems like like Jim just said he won’t be he won’t be there uh so not even maybe worth talking about how if he fits how he’d fit there are a lot of guys out there that I don’t think the average Bucs Fan has heard of there’s a couple names that might might be might be all right but as you’ve looked at this draft knowing that the Bucks probably want to get a big man like every team wants to get a big man I guess that’d be a good place to start but who who who are the maybe three or four names that you’ve looked at is thinking that’s a good fit and they might be available at 23 Yeah you mentioned KH W so we could start with him played to Indiana played at Oregon his first year um very versatile big men as most of these modern guys are can shoot it a little bit block shot the question with him has always been his motor even going back to when he was recruited in high school so that raises an automatic red flag there that these are the kind of flawed prospects that that we’re dealing with this far down in in the first round um one guy that’s pretty intriguing to me is evees Missy from Baylor I think I’ve seen his name kind of been connected with the Bucks a little bit on a few mock drafts that I’ve seen super athletic Rim running guy lob catcher um not quite in the Brook Lopez size mold moves a little bit better than him but I but he still offers some rim protection that that that Brook Lopez gives uh those are two guys that I’m kind of intrigued by if you want to go to the guard route you know Tyler kok will’ll talk about him shortly um some other guys kaon George from from Miami I’ve seen his name floating around in the 20s but he is super young he’s still super raw a lot with the guard prospects you’re gonna get like a raw guy in the 20s so I don’t know if the Bucks want to go that route because it seems like they’re going to want a guy that can plug in Plug and Play right away with their championship window kind of closing a little bit in these next couple Seasons um so I I would go the big guy route EES Missy is probably the guy I would choose it at at that spot just because of his huge upside and I think he can still play with his athletic skills right away yeah this draft is so bad guys I mean like you talked about real J real quick I mean to Ben’s Point um Missy so we’re talking about trading Lopez and maybe Drafting and Ben mentioned a rim Runner that’s important to know because D the reason Brooke fits so well was you needed a big who could shoot threes alongside Janis now you have Damen Lillard and Lillard changes the geometry of the floor you don’t necessarily need a SP a four spacing five you’re you may need that hard pick and roll run to the rim guy and Brooke did that um at one point in his career he he did it a little little bit um last year but at 37 guys I I don’t know if that’s a part of his game anymore right like he’s a stretch five he’s a three-point shooting big so like that I I guess like it’s not just a salary dump type of situation for Brooke or get younger it’s like a what’s the fit now with Dane um and with with jannis so that’s why Miss’s interesting and J and Ben kind of mentioned the wings you know um Chris Middleton it’s funny Ben like how different these years go well Chris was a third was a junior when he came out yeah might have been a first round pick if not for the knee like I don’t know if you’ve got polished scores like that anymore like Chris it took him a little while to figure that out in the NBA but everyone kind of knew Chris could get his shot at it in right and and he was a second round pick and I’m sure we’ll see his highlights um as a second round success story on day two of this you know telecast whatever but like I but like to Ben’s point about seeing who’s there at 23 and those wings like you’re you’re projecting maybe that a kaian George for instance could be could he develop a shot could he be his own shot Creator in three years I don’t know um so yeah but but in terms of Lopez and The Bigs I think that’s why you’re maybe not seeing um an emphasis on oh we need a big we need a a a stretch Five in Milwaukee um I think it’s more be more now with it’s definitely the rim protection but maybe more of a rim Runner dare I say Derek Lively type uh to fit with this current construct I’m looking at the 2013 draft giannis’s draft that you mentioned is maybe the worst and I mean there’s an argument after Giannis that Victor Oladipo is unquestionably the best player in this draft now no it’s probably Rudy goar who was taken 27th a there so much Rudy hates it’s Rudy Rudy is definitely number two yeah it’s Rudy it’s Rudy it’s Rudy I’m sorry I’m sorry to Rudy I apologize you know Rudy played 10 minutes a game his first year Giannis jannis obviously we remember was a project starting out now Rudy was really good in year two so like it’s out there but the Bucks are the Bucks are now you know they have they they any any assets they add I don’t know how how much longterm I mean they have no draft picks until 2031 like they that is exclusively their own and they’re probably going to trade those two as we get as we go down the line so like they don’t have a future as it relates to what you’re looking at for for a project draft pick well ex I don’t know I guess it depends on how you look at it Ben let’s talk about the Marquette guys and then we we will come back to some Bucs issues but uh Tyler kak again is going to be in this in this period of of the draft potentially late first round OZO uodo looks like probably not although I’d be interested if you think as the Bucs get to number 33 relatively early in the second round if you think OZO could wind up uh being an option for them there what uh what what is sort of as you look at the Marquette guys like what fits do you do you think would be best for them where do you expect them to go I mean what’s rolling around your head as you look at the future here for Tyler kak and oo igodo yeah it’s just interesting thinking about Tyler Kik uh the last couple years when he’s really exploded really blossomed um I used I’ve always thought that he was an NBA player just because of the way he reads the game and you know he’s so great at pick and roles that’s obviously an NBA skill he’s probably the best passer in this draft class um that’s a skill that translates to any level um I thought Tyler would have to I thought he would go undrafted two years ago when I was watching him play and he would you know get in somebody’s system get in their g-league team work his way up to and and have a successful imate career that way then I thought last year he was gonna be a second round pick and it was like early in his senior season this season last season um with Marquette that I was thinking oh well this this guy like he’s a legitimate first round player and now like it seems guaranteed he’s going to be a first round pick you know we could say that’s because of the weak draft class um but I think he’s just I think he’s just gonna be a competent point guard a confident backup point guard for any team any team can need something like that as far as when he’ll get drafted it seems like he’ll be at least in the top 25 I think like the Knicks at number 25 is probably his floor and any team that needs a guard and which for real like any NBA team is interested in a competent backup point guard guard um so any of those teams so I think he’s going to be a top 25 pick for sure just because of skills and we could talk about his his mental makeup and I think that’s what really kind of separates him uh he doesn’t quite have the you know the physical attributes which I think are a little uh overstated a little bit with him he did have like a 35 inch vertical at the combine which which was bigger than I thought it was much higher than I thought it was going to be and he’s super strong like he’s stronger than than he and he looks like on the TV screen he was a good rebounder for his size uh but I think just his competitive makeup and that’s what I think is really interesting about about Tyler like when he came out of high school like he was at Public School in Rhode Island you know getting over like he was just hoping for any kind of scholarship he can get he bet on himself went to a prep school started getting low major offers took the best one he can get at George Mason uh coached by Dave pson Scot guy as we like to mention on the podcast um turned himself into the A10 freshman of the year his coach got fired Dave pson got fired shakas smart picks him up in the transfer portal I don’t think even the Marquette coaches they’ll they’ll tell you this they didn’t even know quite what they had in him as like a pick and roll guy because at George Mason he was more of a scorer they asked him to do more scoring so like every step of the way he’s built himself up and you know people could say like okay he’s reached his ceiling like the NBA is so much higher than where he is now like he’s going to hit a ceiling eventually but I still think like that competitive nature is going to carry him through it’s carried him through every step of the way so far in his in his basketball career so I think he’s gonna be a serviceable pro for like a decade and how about OZO what do you think of him yeah Oso’s it’s it’s quite an interesting case between those two guys uh because Oso’s got the clearly the physical Talent like you look at it you know um if you look at if you walked in the gym with the Marquette team just like practice s down at the AL Maguire Center you saw like yeah that’s the NBA guy right there he’s 611 you know super athletic can move really well um thing with thoseo he’s just he just can’t shoot you know he just can’t he’s taken two three-pointers in his Marquette career miss both of them any shot outside of three feet is he’s shooting like a funky floater from like the free throw line uh but you know he can guard five positions he can guard you know he can switch out of guards if he needs to uh he’s a super intelligent passer you know honestly after Tyler he might be the second best passer in the draft um those skills like I said translate um and so I I think as long as he lands with the right spot that can take advantage of his playmaking skills you think like a Denver or like Sacramento who like to use like Playmakers at the center position or their big guys um those would be really good Landing spots for him um and honestly I think the the shooting part is a little oversold with him like no NBA team is going to say okay here a second round pick we need you to score right like he’s gonna get on the floor because of his defense because of like his playmaking ability and not just like screwing up that’s what they want out of their second round players and he’s such a smart player um that I think like some team’s gonna take a chance on him somewhere if you know it could be right around where the Bucks are in the 30 the 33 position and he could be like a pretty good fit for this Bucks team as like a guy who played four years in college who’s you know built his body up and he’s not quite raw but he’s still got like several levels I think he can get to and I think like talking to a lot of people you know the shooting I think could come around eventually uh I know he’s been working on it a lot uh his free throw you know he’s got he’s got some obvious touch if you look at his free throw numbers um but you know now that he’s going to be in the NBA he’s going to be working on this he’s not going to class he’s going to devote himself fully to basketball so I think that part can come along eventually so I still think with Oso there’s like several levels that he can still get to despite being like a four-year player in college yeah sounds like a bigger Andre Jackson Jr then yeah yeah very they’re actually very similar players yeah it’s funny you mentioned the classwork OZO tremendous academically and so two degrees gotes and years yeah so very committed to that side of it which obviously I would never want to make that look like it’s a detriment but you could see how there is some time freed up that he had to dedicate to you know the academic things that he was doing and with both those Marquette guys like if you’re gonna like you talk about you if you talk to Scouts they talk about betting on the human being like betting on the person both those guys are like super competitive they’re not going to give you any trouble you know Tyler might mouth off in an interview you know he might drop some f bombs but that’s about like as as as bad as you’re going to get with those guys um and they’re all they’re all super competitive and it shows like both those guys were very overlooked as recruits like there were you know lower than top 100 recruits in their class so like to be even in this conversation as like NBA draft picks four years later that kind of speaks to their growth mindset Tyler Cole like Lord of content as if you are with the Bucks continue to do what you do in press conferences it is yeah it’s wonderful I can’t believe I just said growth mind shakas smart is like seeping in my brain all talking points are like in my brain now yeah he’s got you he’s got you in his thr Ben uh Jim so let’s let’s pivot back to the Bucks the Boston Celtics won the NBA Championship they did so convincingly they had just a tremendously Charmed path to the title as far as injuries and opponents that they drew but they dominated they lost three games in the entire playoffs wouldn’t have even been enough to lose a playoff series uh let alone and of the four that they play you know they they played four of them and uh and end up triumphing the Bucks I you know I I think even if they’re at full strength I think it’d be worth asking if the Bucks can can rise to that level can be can beat a team like the Boston Celtics going forward I know you you think they can or at least based on our conversations in the past you definitely think they can um you know we could get into some of the Drew discourse again if we want even though I think we’ve kind of discuss that to some degree but you so even after seeing what Boston was able to do to the rest of the Eastern Conference and than the Dallas Mavericks do you do you still feel comfortable thinking you know if this Bucks team is fully healthy if Giannis is healthy if he gets that extra time with Dame and with Doc that this is a team that can’t again contend for the title even if Boston is back to the same level again yeah I mean look they they they drew and this is you look they tried to win that last game in Orlando um but they their seeding was lost when Giannis was healthy and they they dropped all those games at crappy Washington and crappy Atlanta Atlanta and whatever um they they drew the one matchup in the East that was the worst one for them it was Indiana and then I still think if Damon Chris don’t get hurt and if Bobby doesn’t get ejected you know this is all different but that’s not what happened they did get hurt Bobby did get ejected and here we are um but no they are if if this run look the Celtics will give them their credit they won a what 80 games they dominated kudos to them um Drew holiday probably punched his ticket for the hall of fame um and another gold medal this summer will’ll probably do that if if not already uh that’s Saucy by the way that’s a spicy take you said that to me and you’re very confident in that and it’s like yeah I could see that I could see that yeah that’s yeah I think so look um no I mean Bobby dandre is in in the Hall of Fame yeah um there were no Olympic you know Pro Olympics teams back then but he won two rings with two teams and he he’s he’s getting a Boston bump if people thought you know whatever his role was in Milwaukee um he shows up in two cities there his first year and they went yet so but but now to the to the broader conversation like the Celtics were deep um and they were able to withstand the porzingis injury I I think some of what what helped them were the injuries to the other teams um the Celtics don’t have much for big teams maybe this calculus changes if Brook Lopez is traded and the Bucks are a smaller group um but as currently constructed as we record this um yeah the Celtics struggle against bigger teams um and they have no answer for Giannis uh you know they could throw different bodies at Dame but they don’t I mean Chris is gonna get his as well um just as much as maybe Jaylen Brown or Jason Tatum might get their so um the Bucks look this draft and this draft week isn’t really so much about selecting these rookie players it’s more about um their setup for free agency which begins in Earnest on June 30th a couple days after guys so you know it it if they decide to keep their picks because they’re like look we need to keep these picks for four four years down the road five years down the road we just we need rostered young guys to develop that would make sense that means they only have three roster spots to sign veteran free agents with so that means you are you have to hit on those three you can’t miss like Rodney Hood you can’t miss like sh you know semi oay um you have to hit like Pat conon like Bobby pis um to a degree Malik Beasley like it’s it really you know Narrows that pool of of people you can sign for veteran minimum deals that’s all they can do so yeah they they can definitely if healthy guys um that’s my opinion I I just feel like they’re they’re set up for that um but it’s just how do you get there uh they haven’t been healthy for many many years now in the playoffs even their Championship run they they suffered injury they were just deep enough to handle it when it occurred and so that’s up to John horse and his staff to make sure they are deep enough with either three free agent signings and two rookies or a trade and a couple signings and a rookie um to withstand any bumps and bruises that invariably will come their way Jim I’m just thinking about this as you’re talking can you explain to me how thanasis works right now with him being injured and possibly out for the year do they not have to roster him do they like how how does he figure into the whole template of the the whole financial thing yeah this is interesting so uh tasis ruptured in Achilles while he was getting an open gym run in after the season still under contract with the bucks when that happened the league year is in in July so being as he was a member of the Milwaukee Bucks uh he is allowed to even though he’ll become a free agent on you know July 8th whatever whatever day that is he will be allowed to rehabilitate at the Bucks practice facility um he was an employee a member of the team when he was hurt he is allowed to maintain that care you know until he’s he can go um and that’s not a thanasis thing that’s if he was a member of any team he could do that um as long as the team and player were cool with that in this case I would imagine both are cool with that um here’s the interesting thing so if he was Ben steel who ruptured an Achilles as a member of the Bucks working out in that case like the team goes on the road uh Ben could not jump on the plane and go to the 10-day road trip because he is not technically a member of the team sure um he couldn’t sit on the bench at home he’s not a member of the team however uh family members often travel with the team wives girlfriends cousins brothers parents so the nasis then the kumbo the brother could fly on the team plane to road trips and stay with his brother um and be around the team couldn’t sit on the bench um couldn’t be in any of those sort of Team scenarios but like he could be in the locker room just as a kid or but like that’s allowed in the NBA um so that’s interesting um I I’ve had I’ve checked around the league with this all of that is above board none of that is like a cap circumvention issue um although enough people that I’ve spoken to have said if that’s what plays out um other teams would be paying attention to that and they they said they wonder how long that might go before other teams are like wait a minute like how is this dude being able to like travel with the team and go to Road games um now that’s like two steps ahead but in terms of just the noasis no they don’t have to like sign him to a veteran deal and use up the 15 roster spot uh to keep him around he he can rehabilitate and work out I just don’t think he could participate in like team activities but honestly with the Bown Achilles guys I don’t know when that would even be possible to happen anyway yeah um and I don’t and I’m sure once down the line he’s clear to resume you know like oh you are now like able to do Court work I’m sure they can find non bucks like whatever issues there and just real quick for fans no they’re not gonna hire him as a coach thebo is a basketball player he has not expressed any desire to retire um so no there are no I I mean no dog Rivers is hiring his coaching staff and thanasis is not uh going to be part of that at least for the foreseeable future Ben bucks already have like 11 assistant coaches they don’t need another one it’s true Ben I want to talk about one of those assistant coaches because I know I know obviously you do a lot of buck stuff as well you’ve gotten to know Darin ham over the years the former Lakers coach by the way as a recording this reported that the Lakers have in fact hired JJ reck so that’s gonna be interesting but uh darham is back uh reportedly at the beest of Giannis which makes sense he was darham was a good part of the championship team that uh that you know in 2021 uh seemed to have kind of an ill- fated run with the Lakers but uh what what is from what you know of what’s sort of his specialty what is the thing that he brings to the table and uh you know what do you think about him being back yeah I mean he’s a beloved figure by fans he’s a beloved figure by players most importantly on his team uh I think he brings like a very level uh high level of accountability with players like he can get away with telling players in a way that maybe a coach who didn’t play in the NBA uh he can push players that way uh with this with criticism that that that is respect by players um and now he’s got you know some head coaching experience under his belt um maybe not the most uh ideal situation for him in in LA with with that team but he got some experience as a head coach um and that that always helps on your staff uh Doc Rivers has a couple of ex- head coaches on his roster Dave jger is still hanging around although his name circulating a little bit in the in the coaching highing circles um yeah I mean Darin hamy anytime you can can bring back a beloved player and a beloved coach uh it’s always a win in the PR department in the basketball Department whatever Department you want to call it it’s it’s a win yeah for sure uh before we I let you guys go I want to get your just maybe one or two questions that you really feel like are are that you maybe don’t have an answer to that you’re really fascinated to see unfold as we get into the final stretch of June here the draft and the free agency starting uh I maybe it’s maybe it’s a name or two that really pops up as a as an actual legitimate possibility for the bucks um bet I’ll start with you then I’ll go with Jim what uh as you look at this Buck team what is still the thing that you want to know or the thing that you don’t have a you know that really fascinates you in the next week or two yeah I just like Jim said I’m not gonna I mean I don’t want to cover the same ground but I’m just fascinated on like how what kind of deals they can work together I mean what kind of if they can package this this pick in any kind of way just that that’s what I’m interested I don’t think any player that the Bucks are going to add at 23 24 is GNA you know help their team next year just with this draft um so I’m just interested in any kind of any kind of moves they can make all right Jim how about you yeah I uh look uh media starts with me and so I I would love to cover a Tyler KCK conference in Milwaukee um you know and and have a guy like that around I um I it sounds sounds like he won’t be there at 23 it seems like maybe there’s some some uh family ties with his agency and and the the front office of Phoenix one pick before um you know at 22 that maybe Tyler KCK is is passing the ball to Kevin Durant but um yeah I I’d like that just in the sense of a a more broadly though a more readymade draft pick like Andre Jackson was sort of a readymade Defender to a degree that he filed a lot and then he had to come off the corner they’re still waiting on Maran Bo champ I get the idea of at 23 let’s swing for the fences let’s find the guy with all the measurables that are amazing and maybe it’ll be great history says that’s not gonna happen yeah so and that’s like that you know going back to whenever you know all the 23 picks of all time I mean so I would personally go with the the three to fouryear player who you’re like you know what this this person can do this thing in the NBA for us right now um that’s you know that that’s where I would that’s the type of player I guess I’d like to see them pick but to Ben’s Point um they are so hamstrung by decision by their own choice uh I’d be fascinated to see if they do do try to to to reshape the roster in some degree but just to keep it to the draft um if they pick that’s the type of pick I’d like to uh see and yeah we’ll take a Tyler kic fbom in the in in the press conference and and uh and see what happens there I’m good with that similar to when Ricky weeks was the named associate manager a little lfg if you know the abbreviation that uh maybe we can get a similar thing out of Tyler kak uh he is Jim ozari the other guys Ben steel they of course join me every so often here on the point forward podcast we will uh we will be back again to recap the recap the draft probably as well as free agency so you’ll probably hear from us again in early July as we recap kind of what should be an somewhat refashioned although pretty much the same roster for the Milwaukee Bucks uh probably won’t be too exciting but we’ll we’ll see what we have here uh when July kicks in gentlemen really appreciate you joining me today we’ll talk to you again very soon
Bucks writers Jim Owczarski and Ben Steele join host JR Radcliffe to discuss the upcoming NBA draft. Will the Bucks keep the players they select, and if so, which players are most intriguing? How does Milwaukee’s financial situation play into the picture. Can they trade a veteran and still get better? Ben discusses what he expects for the Marquette University players in the draft. Plus: Can the Bucks really hang with this Celtics team next year? And the return of Darvin Ham.
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