The Milwaukee Bucks, who own the no.17 pick in the 2017 NBA Draft, could turn out to be a potential trade partner for the talent-hungry Brooklyn Nets. Mikhail Prokhorov’s ball club don’t have a lottery pick in this year’s draft, thanks to the infamous deal made by Billy King with the Boston Celtics in 2013, but they do have two late first round picks: no.22 and no.27.
Trade down option
In his latest article on Bleacher Report, NBA writer Dan Favale discussed realistic trade options for several teams following the NBA Draft lottery. One of these realistic trade scenarios involves the Bucks trading down from no.17 pick to acquire the Nets’ two late first-round picks.
“Of all the teams just outside the lottery, the Milwaukee Bucks profile as the Nets' best partner. They're hovering somewhere between dark-horse contenders and fringe playoff squads, ideally positioning them to roll the dice, just as they did with Giannis Antetokounmpo and Thon Maker,” Favale noted.
The Bleacher Report writer added that Kentucky’s Hamidou Diallo, who is projected as the Bucks’ selection at no. 17, could still be available at no. 22. Moreover, Milwaukee will have a chance to get another project or potential draft-and-stash player at no.27.
Latvia's Rodions Kurucs could be a great pick for the Bucks this late in the draft primarily because of his Kristaps Porzingis upside. Although Kurucs may not be ready to play at an NBA level just yet, many NBA scouts are confident that he can develop into a productive player just like the Bucks’ developmental staff did for Antetokounmpo and Maker.
Diallo work out
NBA Draft expert Adam Zagolia reported that Diallo already worked out for the Chicago Bulls, the Milwaukee Bucks, and the Brooklyn Nets this week. Diallo is projected to be taken at no.35 by DraftExpress, but a solid showing at the NBA Combine and team workouts could push him to middle or late first-round selection.
“The teams I’ve talked to, they don’t know much about him. I guess it’s just going to come down to these workouts now. Whatever he can show there. Because I don’t know what they’re going to draft him off of right now,” said Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress.
Diallo, 18, enrolled in Kentucky last January and was penciled to play with the Wildcats as the red-shirt freshman for the 2017/18 season.
However, the college prospect surprised everybody when he declared for the NBA Draft without an agent. Diallo could still withdraw from the draft and return to Kentucky next season, but the mystery surrounding this player has created intrigue among several NBA scouts.
“Diallo, who has not hired an agent and could still return to Lexington, opted against performing any of the shooting drills or participating in the 5-on-5 games. Again, he created mystique about his game. Much of that decision came from his head coach, John Calipari, who has seen 21 of his players drafted in the first round since 2010,” reported Mark Strotman of CSN Chicago.
Aside from the teams already mentioned, the Celtics (who has three second-round picks) and the Bulls (no.16 pick) have shown interest in Diallo.
