Milwaukee Bucks: 5 options for pick No. 17 in 2017 NBA Draft

Mar 10, 2017; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Duke Blue Devils forward Harry Giles (1) reacts during the second half of an ACC Conference Tournament game against the North Carolina Tar Heels at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

The Milwaukee Bucks will pick 17th in the upcoming 2017 NBA Draft. What realistic options should the Bucks consider with the pick?

The Milwaukee Bucks have a number of options with the 17th pick in the 2017 NBA Draft. With a month of preparation before June 22, the organization will balance team needs with the talent and upside of prospects to create a board ranking the available players.

It is possible to discover star talent at any pick in the draft, and these playoffs have highlighted that in a dazzling way. Draymond Green has been the best defensive player in the postseason, and was a second round pick. All-NBA guard Isaiah Thomas was selected with the very last pick of the 2011 NBA Draft.

Milwaukee itself has a close-up view of finding a star outside of the top picks in a draft, selecting All-NBA forward Giannis Antetokounmpo with the 15th pick of the 2013 NBA Draft. At No. 17, the possibility of hitting another home run is absolutely in play.

The Bucks are stocked with talent, however, from dynamic scorer Jabari Parker to two-way wing Khris Middleton, not to mention the seemingly limitless potential of Thon Maker. They have the luxury of not swinging for the fences, but rather drafting to fill a specific need from among more established prospects.

With the entire NBA landscape buzzing about the potential of this draft class, which players might be available when the Bucks are on the clock at 17? And among those players, who should Milwaukee target to help the team move toward contention?

Answering those questions takes us first to Tobacco Road, and a school that has become a factory for elite basketball talent: Duke University.

5. Harry Giles, PF, Duke

The 2016 NBA Draft was an "eight player draft" with a major drop-off after the eighth pick. For teams picking ninth or later, their chances to get a truly elite talent were limited at best. That didn't stop Milwaukee from taking Thon Maker at 10th, a player who right now clearly looks like one of the draft's best talents.

If Milwaukee is again to take a special talent who down the road looks like one of the draft's best players, their best bet is Harry Giles. Ranked either first or second by every major recruiting source, Giles' combination of size, skill and athleticism was truly unique among high school stars.

But two major knee injuries in three years took Giles off of the court and into a rehab program, and even once he hit the court at Duke he didn't look like an elite prospect. He averaged just 11.5 minutes per game for the Blue Devils, putting up 3.9 points and 3.8 rebounds per game.

The key to Giles' draft stock is his medical evaluation. If teams feel confident he is going to make a full recovery and regain most if not all of his athleticism, then Giles deserves to be a top-10 pick. If any red flags come up, he could fall — and the drop could be endless.

For Milwaukee to have a chance to draft him, they will need teams to stay away because of his injury history. For them to use the pick on Giles, they will also need confidence of their own that he will regain full strength and agility. Their training staff has a semi-success story in Jabari Parker, another Duke forward with a knee injury who made a full recovery, to bolster their confidence (though we should note yet another knee injury sidelined Parker to close the 2016-17 season).

A fully healthy Giles would fit into a power forward rotation with Jabari Parker, and he has the upside of playing as a small-ball center in switch-heavy lineups. While Milwaukee needs shooting, the elite talent Giles provides may be too much to pass on if he remains on the board at No. 17.

Mar 8, 2017; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Wake Forest Demon Deacons forward John Collins (20) drives against Virginia Tech Hokies forward Zach LeDay (32) during the first half during the ACC Conference Tournament at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Anthony Gruppuso-USA TODAY Sports

4. John Collins, F/C, Wake Forest

One area of struggle this past season for the Milwaukee Bucks was their frontcourt rotation. With Miles Plumlee and John Henson struggling with ineffectiveness and injuries, Jason Kidd ended up giving run to players such as Spencer Hawes.

With Jabari Parker likely out to start the 2017-18 season, and uncertainty surrounding potential free agents Greg Monroe and Michael Beasley, Milwaukee may look to address their depth in the frontcourt with a player such as John Collins.

The young sophomore big man led the Wake Forest to an unexpected NCAA tournament berth, just shy of averaging a 20-10 line for the season. He shot 62 percent from the field despite seeing nightly double- and even triple-teams; on the other end of the court he threw back 1.6 blocks per game for the Deamon Deacons, preventing the same level of efficiency.

Overall he ranked in the top four in the ACC of each of those categories – points, rebounds, blocks and field goal percentage. In the nation's toughest conference, a lightly recruited 19-year-old stood out as among the very best, earning a spot on the All-ACC first team this past season.

Milwaukee benefited from having a post presence on their second unit this past season, as Greg Monroe worked as an offensive hub in the high post. Collins could grow into a similar role, scoring or passing as the defense dictates. Whether Monroe leaves this summer or stays for another year, Collins could become his heir as a bench scorer in the middle.

Feb 18, 2017; Durham, NC, USA; Duke Blue Devils guard Luke Kennard (5) drives to the basket past Wake Forest Demon Deacons forward John Collins (20) in the second half at Cameron Indoor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark Dolejs-USA TODAY Sports

3. Luke Kennard, G, Duke

The Milwaukee Bucks could go back to the Durham well to address a different need with the 17th pick. While Giannis Antetokounmpo is incredible as a scorer and passer inside the arc, what the Bucks lack is shooting on the wing.

That need led to head coach Jason Kidd playing veteran Jason Terry in key moments in the playoffs this past season. While Terry acquitted himself well, he is 39 and cannot be relied upon moving forward, whether he returns for another season or not.

Enter Luke Kennard, one of college basketball's breakout stars. As his preseason national player of the year candidate teammate Grayson Allen faltered throughout last season, Kennard stepped up in a major way, leading the ACC in scoring during his sophomore year.

Kennard's greatest strength is hit shooting, as he can hit a shot from anywhere on the court. Coach Mike Krzyzewski used off-ball screens frequently to get Kennard open looks, and he delivered, hitting 43.8 percent of his three-pointers.

The 6'5″ guard prospect is not simply a one-trick pony, as he handled much of the Blue Devils' ball-handling responsibilities in the absence of a true point guard on the roster. While he does not project as a primary ball-handler, Kennard has the skills to be a secondary playmaker for a team with other strong ball-handlers.

Kennard would fit right in with the Bucks, playing off the ball alongside Giannis Antetokounmpo and their other wings, while possessing the verve to handle the ball in bench units. His sharpshooting will fill an instant need for the team, and his defensive limitations are covered up by a roster of strong defenders.

The problem with a marriage of Kennard and Milwaukee is not fit, but rather opportunity. NBA teams value shooting, and Kennard will have to slip past the floor-spacing needs of Charlotte, Detroit, Miami and Chicago, to name a few. If Kennard falls, he could be a perfect fit for this roster.

Apr 3, 2017; Phoenix, AZ, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels forward Justin Jackson (44) shoots as Gonzaga Bulldogs guard Jordan Mathews (4) guards during the second half in the championship game of the 2017 NCAA Men's Final Four at University of Phoenix Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

2. Justin Jackson, SF, North Carolina

To continue an unintentional trend, the Bucks keep their gaze focused on North Carolina ACC schools with a trip over to Chapel Hill and the national champion Tar Heels. The squad's best player, Justin Jackson, fits this team's needs like a glove.

Like Kennard, Jackson's greatest strength is his shooting. Jackson poured in the time and effort before his junior season, improving his jumper so it can be counted on as a real strength. The 6'8″ forward raised his three-point percentage from 29 percent his sophomore year to 37 percent his junior season.

Jackson also became deadly from midrange, pulling up from 15-18 feet and stroking shots. With Giannis driving into the teeth of a defense there are often open shots available behind him, in the open space he just vacated. Jackson could thrive in that space.

A knock against Jackson has been his lack of strength and weight, as he is rail thin at only 193 pounds. But the Bucks specifically won't see this as much of a drawback, as they have overseen the development of both Antetokounmpo and now Thon Maker from pencil-thin to more chiseled NBA bodies.