Denver Stiffs Community Mock Draft 17th Pick: okan.idug, Bucks

With the 17th pick in the 2015 NBA Draft the Milwaukee Bucks select Bobby Portis Power Forward/Center Arkansas.

Okan.idug:

Milwaukee Bucks are a young and upcoming team. With having two starters in 23 years old Michael Carter-Williams and Khris Middleton and two starters in 20 years old in Giannis Antetokounmpo and Jabari Parker, future is bright for Bucks. Last year`s second pick Parker was a clear candidate for Rookie of the Year before having the season ending injury. He is still a star in making. Giannis is already considered as a star with his game improved all around and Khris Middleton had a breakout year and proved himself to be a solid piece moving forward. Team is playing spectacular defense and ranked second in Hollinger Defensive Efficiency Rankings after GSW. They have a good depth featuring young veterans in Jared Bayless, O.J Mayo, Jared Dudley and Ersan İlyasova.

Bucks have two problems to be addressed going forward. One of them is shooting. Bucks have only one pure shooter in Middleton. Giannis tried 0,6 three pointers per game while averaging 0.159. Parker is slightly better, taking same amount of three pointers and converting 25% to money. I`m not even going on how MCW can`t shoot. Team left all 3 point shooting on Middleton who shot around 40% on the starting lineup while bench players like Ilyasova and Dudley each had 39% 3 point field goal percentage. Second and most important problem of Bucks is lack of big man. After losing Larry Sanders to I don`t want to play basketball anymore flu, Bucks started Zaza Pachulia at center who is basically JJ Hickson of the East. While their backup center John Henson is above average, he is not starting caliber for a playoff team.

At this point, since Turner and Kaminsky are gone, Bobby Portis is the best choice for Bucks. He has a good length for his position, measured 6'10.5 (in shoes) 235 lbs, with a 7'1.5 wingspan. He has an NBA ready body which will allow him, unlike most of the other rookies, to focus on fundamental skills instead of putting some muscles on.

Portis is a good shooter. He has a really good mid-range game and still expanding it to 3 point line. He doesn`t have a good post game, however, it is not a problem in Bucks roster while they already have guys who covered scoring inside and post games in MCW, Antetokounmpo and Parker. His strong position being away from the post will only help Bucks to space the floor. He can still play face up inside the paint and can finish under contact.

He is also a good defender. He has a really good timing for positioning, he hustles a lot. Also he can move his feet well which make him a versatile defender; something seems perfect fit the defensive schemes of Bucks. He is an active rebounder and likes to initiate fast breaks and lead them time to time.

While he is not the post defender Bucks want and not the guy who could and should play center, Portis at least helps to cover problem of shooting. Also if he would give Bucks flexibility of using Ilyasova as a trade piece to get a center or at least getting rid of his contract and signing a center. (At this point I`m hoping they will somehow manage to sign Ömer Aşık and create the best defensive team in NBA)

They can also go after Cameron Payne and hope that he will become a steady shooter or actually my initial number one pick for Bucks, Robert Upshaw. Upshaw can be the center Bucks are looking for but his off-court issues will probably remind their fresh trauma of Larry Sanders. I can`t see Bucks trading up unless they find someone stupid enough to take Henson and 17<sup>th</sup> and put Bucks on Kaminsky or Turner area. Trading down also doesn`t make much sense for a young team who can get a better player to grow up with team. So they will play safe instead of taking risk and go after Portis.

*Jason Kidd, pop some bottles of champagne! (but not on the basketball court) you finally get some more front court depth!*

Here is a breakdown of the draft so far:

Dynamo.Joe and the Houston Rockets are on the clock.

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