The Milwaukee Bucks shocked the NBA world during the 2024 NBA Draft by not participating in any trades. With Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard under contract, many believed the Bucks would use one or both of their picks in a trade to land them a veteran who could help them win an NBA Championship this year.
Instead, the Bucks drafted 19-year-old AJ Johnson with their first-round pick. Johnson averaged 2.8 points in 7.7 minutes per game playing in Australia’s NBL last season. With their second-round pick, Milwaukee took six-foot-eleven power forward Tyler Smith, who is also just 19 years old.
In other words, the Bucks drafted for the future instead of using those picks to help them acquire talent that could help them win now. One NBA analyst believes they could have used those draft selections to pull off a big trade that would have netted them a versatile forward for their backcourt.
NBA Analyst Says the Milwaukee Bucks Could Have Traded Their First Round Pick for Dorian Finney-Smith
As mentioned, many were confused by the Bucks’ choices in the NBA Draft. One of those was Bleacher Report‘s Greg Swartz, who wrote that Milwaukee could have traded their first-round pick for Dorian Finney-Smith of the Brooklyn Nets:
“Milwaukee should have flipped this pick for a rotation-caliber veteran instead.
“The Brooklyn Nets appear to be headed towards a rebuild after trading Mikal Bridges and didn’t possess a single selection in the first round. We would have preferred to see the Bucks cobble enough salary together along with their first-round pick to make a run at a wing like Dorian Finney-Smith, who can defend multiple positions and knock down shots.
“Seeing Milwaukee stay put and take a 167-pound guard who won’t be able to contribute for years was puzzling.”
Of course, the Bucks would have had to include a player in this trade in order to make the deal work. Finney-Smith is making approximately $15 million per year, so the Bucks would have had to include Bobby Portis, Pat Connaughton, and/or a combination of other role players.
How Would Dorian Finney-Smith Have Fit with the Milwaukee Bucks?
As Swartz mentions, Finney-Smith is a versatile defender who can guard multiple positions. This is the kind of player that Milwaukee desperately needs added to their roster. The fact that he also is a career 35.5% three-point shooter does not hurt either.
Adding Finney-Smith would have given the Bucks options at the foward position. He is a better defender than Khris Middleton, who plays the same position, but not as good of a shooter or shot creator.
Either the Bucks would have moved Middleton to the shooting guard position, or they would have had Finney-Smith come off of the bench. In any scenario, the Bucks’ roster would have been greatly improved.
Why they did not do anything like this during the 2024 NBA Draft is still very confusing.
For More Great Wisconsin Sports Content
Follow me on Twitter at @theotherRobin19 and follow us @WiSportsHeroics for more great content. To read more of our articles and keep up to date on the latest in Wisconsin sports, click here!
