Despite all of the pre-draft chatter, one thing now seems to be certain in the Milwaukee Bucks' camp: the team will not choose injured center Joel Embiid or Australian guard Dante Exum, but will select either Jabari Parker or Andrew Wiggins as the second overall pick.
The Cleveland Cavaliers have made it known they are wavering between Parker and Wiggins as the number one pick, and the Bucks will select whomever the Cavs leave behind. Embiid was in the mix until he underwent surgery to repair an injured foot and will be out 4-6 months. Exum was not as impressive in pre-draft workouts as Parker or Wiggins, Bucks sources claim.
Now that the second pick is all but determined, the Bucks can turn their attention to the second round, in which they have three picks: 31, 36, and 48. While top talent is typically long gone by the second round, the Bucks can use their three selections to either choose a tired and true college veteran or gamble on an unproven college or international player.
Here are some options for the Bucks with their second round choices:
Nick Johnson from Arizona - A smooth combo guard who was the best player on a Wildcats team that spent most of the season ranked number one.
Glenn Robinson III from Michigan - A talented swing-man who can score in the paint, but he might be undersized for his position.
Spencer Dinwiddie from Colorado - Tall guard (6-6) who might be best suited to play the point guard spot.
Mitch McGary from Michigan - The Bucks need help inside and McGary provides size and talent. They might take a flier on him in the second round.
James Michael McAdoo from North Carolina - McAdoo is a tremendous athlete with NBA pedigree who just might be the inside force Milwaukee needs.
Milwaukee can also choose to trade its picks for a veteran NBA player or the rights to an earlier draft pick. There are indeed plenty of opportunities for the Bucks starting Thursday night. In actuality, there is nowhere to go but up for the team that sported the worst record in the NBA last season.