Milwaukee Bucks

Two out of three ain't bad, right? Nick Gilbert hit the jackpot in the NBA Draft Lottery for the Cleveland Cavaliers once again, giving the Cavs the first overall selection for the second time in the last three years. Cleveland had a 15.6 percent chance of snagging the top pick. The Orlando Magic, who had the best odds in the lottery, will pick 2nd, while the Washington Wizards turned the 8th-highest odds into the 3rd overall pick. With the draft order now locked in, many mock drafts have been updated to reflect team needs and targets. Nerlens Noel still looks like the favorite to go first overall, though Cleveland's playoff aspirations may lead them to explore trade scenarios. They also own the 19th pick. As for the Bucks? Projections for their #15 pick remain varied, which is pretty much how they were prior to the lottery results. Here's the latest predictions from a few of the top draft analysis sources: DraftExpress: Sergey Karasev, SF, 19 years old, 6'7", 197 lbs., InternationalOne executive reportedly described Karasev as a "better-shooting Andrei Kirilenko." Hard to think of a better fit for the Bucks than a versatile, sweet-shooting wing player. Of course, the other side of the "all-around" praise is that he might not do anything at a truly exceptional level. He also might be a bit undersized for an NBA small forward, and he's not the most athletic guy out there. But in a draft like this one, getting a relatively NBA-ready wing with terrific range is a solid win. ESPN - Chad Ford (Insider Only): Allen Crabbe, SG, 21 years old, 6'6", 197 lbs., CaliforniaFord also projects the Bucks to target a wing shooter, and Crabbe is likely to be one of the top shooters left on the board at this point. Crabbe hit 40% of his triples his first two seasons at Cal before falling to 35% this past season. He attempted so many that even somewhere in the upper 30s would be a great percentage. Crabbe has shown inconsistent effort at times and might not offer much more than scoring at first, but he's got ample size for the 2 and projects well defensively. NBADraft.net: Steven Adams, C, 19 years old, 7'0", 255 lbs., PittsburghAdams was a big winner at the draft combine, showing off his excellent athleticism and prototypical size while impressing scouts with nonstop hustle. But he is R.A.W. on the offensive end, showing very little scoring ability at Pitt and possessing little in the way of developed low-post skills. A team will draft Adams in the mid-first round based on his size, age, and potential, but he's very much a developmental prospect. CBSSports.com - Jeff Goodman: Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, SG, 20 years old, 6'6", 204 lbs., GeorgiaKentavious Caldwell-Pope, better known to me as KCP, is one of the best shooters in the draft with deep range and a quick, tight shooting stroke. He's also athletic enough to get to the rim and finish, and grades out as a good defender by statistics or scouting. He doesn't have a great handle for a 2-guard and can't hurt defenses off the dribble as well as he can in catch-and-shoot situations. Most importantly, the PR team from whatever club drafts him gets to use #KCP43 every time he nails a trey. Poll Which prospect do you like best? Sergey Karasev Allen Crabbe Steven Adams Kentavious Caldwell-Pope 5 votes | Results

Ok, the draft order is set, we are ready to mock the 2013 draft. I'll do picks 1-20 and may edit depending on things that unfold before the actual draft on June 27th. The Cavaliers once again rise to the first pick in the draft, but unlike the last two times as Quick Draw McGraw might say, There's some thinnin' to do round here. There is no clear cut order here but here is what I think might happen with some comments. 1. Cleveland-Nerlens Noel-I really think Cleveland would rather take someone else(Porter)but could use the inside presence of Noel more. Also helps drive the 2014 tank so this is the way they go imho. 2. Orlando-Trey Burke-Struggled with this one for a bit but I can't see them picking someone else, think Noel would be the best for them but PG is definitely a PON(position of need I'll use this again) 3. Washington-Otto Porter-Biggest no-brainer so far, Georgetown kid, play the biggest PON. Only trouble is the Wiz have no one to score other than their backcourt and have little to trade. 4. Charlotte-Ben McLemore-They get their choice of 2 guards here, wouldn't be surprised with Olipado either but I think scoring wins over D. 5. Phoenix-Victor Olipado-Debated on Bennett for a minute but think Victor fills a PON and gives them some D. Sarver will be making more changes, hey Robert, need a flashy PG to go with Olipado? 6. New Orleans Pelicans-Cody Zeller-Bennett should be taken here but I'm guessing they go Zeller, kind of makes sense. 7. Sacramento Kings-C.J. McCollum-makes sense to me even though I'd love him to fall to 15. 8. Detroit Pistons-Shabazz Muhammed-Think Detroit would prefer McCollum but takes some scoring with Bazz. 9. Minnesota T-Wolves-Alex Len- Not really who they want but no choice really 10. Portland Trailblazers-Steven Adams-Looking at my countryman Bennett who has tumbled down to 10 but they go big with Steven Adams 11. Philadelphia 76ers-Anthony Bennett-They run up to the mike and grab Bennett before anyone yells mulligan, a great pick for the Sixers 12. Oklahoma Thunder-Kelly Olynyk-Back-to-back Canucks, Kelly Olynyk helps out with some front-court scoring. 13. Dallas Mavericks-Miles Plumlee-I know some think Schroeder but I pick Plumlee here, just a gut feel. 14. Utah Jazz-Dennis Schroeder-Ricky Dennis Schroeder, no ifs, ands or buts 15. Milwaukee Bucks-Kentavious Caldwell-Pope-Coin flip between KCP and Sergei Karasev, Pope wins out 16. Boston Celtics-Michael Carter-Williams-Can't resist Michael Carter-Williams, they'll shop Rondo in the summer. 17. Atlanta Hawks-Rudy Gobert-just because they have two picks. 18. Atlanta Hawks-Gorgui Dieng- no more Al Horford at C. 19. Cleveland Cavaliers-Sergei Karasev-fits perfectly here, their D will still blow but they can fill it. 20. Chicago Bulls-Jamaal Franklin-forms the most athletic NBA backcourt with Rose(presuming Rose plays next year) Well that's it for my 2013 Mock Draft, feel free to leave any comments, I am sure we are not all in agreement. I think there will be some trades this year, just didn't want to make a mock with trades(I can see Minny trading out for sure) Don't think Bennett falls to 11 either tbh, just the way it played out Ok, the draft order is set, we are ready to mock the 2013 draft. I'll do picks 1-20 and may edit depending on things that unfold before the actual draft on June 27th. The Cavaliers once again rise to the first pick in the draft, but unlike the last two times as Quick Draw McGraw might say, There's some thinnin' to do round here. There is no clear cut order here but here is what I think might happen with some comments. 1. Cleveland-Nerlens Noel-I really think Cleveland would rather take someone else(Porter)but could use the inside presence of Noel more. Also helps drive the 2014 tank so this is the way they go imho. 2. Orlando-Trey Burke-Struggled with this one for a bit but I can't see them

A famous name only goes so far when a player takes the basketball court. Glen Rice Jr. is quite familiar with this concept.

Bored with the drudgery of the coaching search yet? Fear not: draft workout season has finally begun, friends. As expected, potential first rounder Glen Rice Jr. (DX #26) headlined today's first workout at the Cousins Center, with New Mexico swingman Tony Snell (DX #37), Syracuse forward James Southerland (DX #82), Marquette guard Junior Cadougan (unranked by DX) the other notables in attendance. Over at Bucks.com, Jim Paschke has video interviews from today and also brings word that the Bucks will be attending the Brooklyn (May 22-23) and Minnesota group workouts before returning to Milwaukee next week. You can click through some pictures from today's action at Bucks.com as well. Billy McKinney spoke to the media afterwards, so feel free to read as much (remember him gushing over John Henson last year?) or as little (remember him calling Larry Sanders a reach in 2010?) into these quotes as you want. Andrew Gruman at FS Wisconsin reports: "I watched one of the (finals) games and he was very good," McKinney said. "Playing in the D-League, I think out of all the draft players this year he might be the most ready to play in the NBA because of his experience playing with a lot of former NBA players. "He shoots the ball really well. He has are a really good feel for the game. He has a nice all-around game. He does a nice job on defense, as well." On Snell: "I think he's one of the most talented and gifted players in this draft," McKinney said. "His performances were up and down. Most young players will have that issue, but in terms of talent, I've watched him since he was a freshman and thought he was a guy who has been our radar for quite some time. "His game set, actually his physique reminds me of former NBA player Darius Miles. Darius was a very talented player, a lottery pick, but Tony shoots the ball much better than Darius. I think he's one of those guys who can go somewhere in the first round, he might slip into the second round. His workouts will be very critical to where he gets drafted." Basically: Snell has a lean build and cornrows. More to come later tonight.

Junior Cadougan celebrates Marquette’s victory over Butler. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) Draft workouts have officially begun. Tuesday the Milwaukee Bucks will audition six players: Marquette’s Junior Cadougan, Iowa State’s Will Clyburn, D-League finals MVP Glen Rice Jr.,  Dakota State’s Tyrone Gordon Jr., New Mexico’s Tony Snell and Syracuse forward James Southerland. Rice, a 6-foot-6 small forward, is the highest ranked player on DraftExpress.com’s Top 100 prospect list (26), followed by Snell (37), Southerland (82) and Clyburn (90). Cadougan and Gordon Jr. are not ranked.

Even as NBA positions blur together, the notice paid to measurables and athletic testing at the NBA Draft Combine remains high. For nearly every prospect grading out taller, lankier, or quicker than expected can erase all sorts of questions about a disappointing season. Conversely, even the most productive players get knocked for being too short, too slow, or too stuck to the ground. Kentucky center Nerlens Noel didn't set the college basketball world on fire like his predecessor Anthony Davis, but he was still quite good--one of the best in the NCAA, in fact. Before an ill-fated chasedown block left him with a torn-ACL and made him the centerpiece of a renewed debate on the NBA's age minimum, Noel was regarded as a top candidate for the Naismith Player of the Year Award and the prohibitive favorite to be selected first overall in the upcoming NBA draft. The injury slowed the hype train a bit, but even with Noel expected to be shelved for the first few months of the season he was still the favorite to be the first pick. More: SB Nation: Full NBA Draft Combine coverage Still in the early stages of the recovery process, Noel didn't take part in any of the workouts or organized competitive activities at the combine, but his measurements still garnered significant attention. His standing reach (still the most important pure measurement for a center) was still very good, and his wingspan was solid. But nearly every scout, assistant, or GM in attendance was distressed by Noel's weight: he tipped the scales at just 206 lbs., barely higher than shooting guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. "Needs to add strength" shows up so frequently in prospect profiles it's basically an in-joke in draft analysis at this point. With one-and-done prospects dominating the draft in recent years, it's becoming increasingly rare to see an incoming rookie with an "NBA-ready" physique, especially big men. There's no reason to think Noel, still just 19 years old, won't put on quite a bit of muscle once he gets on board with an NBA strength training program. In addition, Noel says he played up around 225 lbs. before the injury took him off his feet. But even that figure leaves him well below many of the top centers in the NBA: Marc Gasol won Defensive Player of the Year for the Memphis Grizzlies. He's listed at 265 lbs. Pacers center Roy Hibbert is 280 lbs. Dwight Howard is 260 lbs. From Andrew Bogut to DeMarcus Cousins, you'll be hard-pressed to find a center who isn't 40 lbs. heavier than Noel's targeted weight. Even Tyson Chandler, always noted for his slender body, is 240 lbs. There seems little doubt that Noel will initially struggle to deal with the size he'll face night after night in the NBA. The concern for many team officials is whether he'll eventually be able to shake that disadvantage. Can Noel succeed if he might always be undersized? Is that risk worth taking first overall? Some teams aren't so sure anymore. There may be hope for Noel yet, and many NBA writers have already noticed it: His name is Larry Sanders LARRY SANDERS! First, the obvious discrepancy: Sanders weighed 222 pounds at the 2010 NBA Draft Combine, quite a bit higher than Noel's eye-popping figure. But he was still right near the bottom of all the center prospects in the 2010 draft (heck, he was often projected as a power forward), many of whom were drafted in the top ten. Beyond that, however, similarities become much more abundant. Both players possessed excellent shot-blocking instincts in college and had great athleticism. Both sport(ed) evolving offensive games, and Noel is likely farther along than Sanders was when he was drafted. Most importantly, like Sanders, Noel will likely be drafted on the back of his NBA-ready defensive ability, which is where the weight issue really comes into question (Ever notice how weight is rarely brought up as with regard to a prospect's offensive game, unless it's a positive? Strange trend.). In the 2012-2013 season, Sand

“The Dwight Effect” Starring Larry Sanders. Directed by Kirk Goldsberry.

Thus far, it’s difficult to say that the search for the next coach of the Milwaukee Bucks has been inspiring. It’s been relatively thorough, due diligence has been done on big names. They’ve at least explored making a splash. But the pool of candidates so far? Which one has you excited? Larry Drew, looking like the loneliest man in the world. (Photo by Scott Cunningham/NBAE via Getty Images) Nate McMillan. Kelvin Sampson. J.B. Bickerstaff. Steve Clifford. Larry Drew. These are the candidates that we know have been interviewed. Additionally, the Bucks traveled to southern Illinois and had a chat with Jerry Sloan and while most accounts say the meeting was quite pleasant, he isn’t interested in coaching the Milwaukee Bucks. “He had a real nice meeting with them. They came to see him on his farm [in downstate Illinois]. They had a great meeting just in terms of liking each other. [Bucks general manager] John Hammond said, ‘I wish I could have stayed and watched the game with him.’ It’s just not the right fit for Jerry, from Jerry’s point of view. That’s not a negative thing; that’s just the reality.” “For Jerry to go to a place that’s going to take years to build — and I’m not talking about Milwaukee, I’m talking about anywhere — that’s just not right for him,” Glass said, according to the newspaper. “They have to be able to compete. Jerry is a competitor, and he wants to compete and teach.” But really … he is talking about Milwaukee, isn’t he? Maybe the Bucks aren’t officially rebuilding, but it’s pretty obvious to everyone everywhere that this isn’t a team that’s anywhere near being very competitive. That’s why Sloan wasn’t interested, as nice as the folks in Milwaukee may be. That’s why Milwaukee never got anywhere with Stan Van Gundy either. Proven, successful coaches – coaches with options – why would they be interested in Milwaukee? Sometimes I think everyone in the world understands the dire situation the Bucks are in, except for the Bucks. The cap space is nice and Larry Sanders is good, but Milwaukee’s a team in disarray. They have few pieces in place and even fewer obvious answers ahead of themselves this summer. So without the ability to lure a name coach, what are the Bucks options? Well, one is hoping to get lucky with a veteran coach who hasn’t been quite so successful. The Nate McMillans and Larry Drews of the world. It’s easy to look at the records and both McMillan and Drew and point to the playoff appearances, the seasons over .500 and say those guys know what they are doing. But in 10 full seasons with the Sonics and Blazers, McMillan got out of round one exactly once. In three with the Hawks, Drew got out once as well. McMillan’s a defensive coach who didn’t have very good defensive teams. Drew? He doesn’t have much of a reputation, aside from being unable to corral Josh Smith. It’s hard to lay blame on Drew for failing to a task that’s probably impossible. Like probably every other coach Smith has had, he didn’t love the forward’s shot-selection. But if the most important task he had in Atlanta was getting Josh Smith to another level of recognition with regard to how poor many of the shots he was taking were, then he failed at his most important task. Whether it’s his fault or not, he’s another guy who couldn’t get his team past round one. On the plus side, the looks at retreads alongside a couple of assistants seems to indicate that the Bucks are going to look everywhere for a coach, which is great. Milwaukee has to consider all of its options. But it’s hard to be too excited at this point about the list they have put together. As a fan of the relatively anonymous, hungry young assistant, I’ve yet to be satiated. After Sampso

The Seattle group offered an astronomical $625 million for the Kings, so imagine what the expansion fee might be after the next TV contract. The Bucks’ cut might not offset a bad contract, but expansion is one temporary way to throw a bone to the league’s have-nots even as the TV money gets one more payee.

The Bucks are searching for a coach in a crowded marketplace, with six other NBA teams looking for head coaches. Atlanta coach Larry Drew was the latest candidate to interview with the Bucks on Monday.