/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/33247601/20140327_jcd_sh5_071.0.jpg)
We are a little over 24 hours away from the first step in what figures to be the most important Bucks draft in a very, VERY long time. So mark it on your calendars, put it in your brain, and write it on your hand: at 7:00 PM Central on Tuesday, May 20th, the 2014 NBA Draft Lottery is going down on ESPN.
While most might still be scrambling to square away their draft lottery plans, the Bucks have decided on theirs and who will be representing them in New York tomorrow.
Mallory Edens, 18 yr old daughter of new Bucks co-owner Wes Edens, will be on stage for Bucks at Draft Lottery.
— Gery Woelfel (@GeryWoelfel) May 19, 2014
Alexander Lasry, son of new Bucks co-owner Marc Lasry, will be backstage at Draft Lottery.
— Gery Woelfel (@GeryWoelfel) May 19, 2014
Many people guessed that Wes Edens or Marc Lasry or perhaps Giannis Antetokounmpo would sit behind the Bucks' seat on stage on Tuesday, but this decision makes perfect sense. The lottery gods have been kind to the offspring of owners over the past few years (looking at you, Nick Gilbert), so let's hope that Mallory can drum up some of that offspring magic in a less bowtie-y fashion (looking at you, Nick Gilbert).
Update: As I type this, it looks like a couple of the Bucks young guys are heading to New York to join the Lasry and Edens families.
Giannis Antetokounmpo and Brandon Knight were invited to New York for draft lottery by new Bucks owners Marc Lasry and Wesley Edens.
— cfgardner (@cf_gardner) May 19, 2014
"I got a chance to talk to them," Giannis said of new Bucks owners. "I think they will do a very nice job. They're very kind."
— cfgardner (@cf_gardner) May 19, 2014
Asked Giannis if he had good-luck charm to help Bucks stay in No. 1 spot for June 26 draft: "I just got a haircut. Maybe that will work."
— cfgardner (@cf_gardner) May 19, 2014
Once the Bucks learn where they'll select, the attention will shift right back to the draft. Not much has changed around at the top of the first round, but what the Bucks do with their three second round picks becomes more and more intriguing as the draft gets closer.
DraftExpress | Wiggins stays on top
Andrew Wiggins continues to be the popular pick at the top spot, which would both bring a big name to Milwaukee (should they be in a spot to select him) and fill a big hole at the shooting guard position ahead of O.J. Mayo. It's also interesting to see Jarnell Stokes going to the Bucks with the 31st pick. I don't know if the Bucks would want to grab a power forward that early, but what's the harm in speculating at this point? It will give you something to do before the lottery, at least. Additionally, if Stokes were the pick there, Mayo would finally have someone to go to buffets with on road trips, right?
Racine Journal Times | Woelfel: Search for shooting guard commences
Bucks beat writer Gery Woelfel seems pretty darn confident that the Bucks will be eager to add a shooting guard or two in this draft after the O.J. Mayo signing this past summer provided minimal benefit. Woelfel suggested that a shooting guard could be selected with their first round selection in Wiggins or Exum (OK, he's a big PG), but he also mentioned a few other names that Bucks' personnel watched and had discussions with.
It's little wonder why Hammond and vice president of player personnel Dave Babcock spent a great deal of their time at last week's NBA pre-draft camp in Chicago scrutinizing shooting guards.
Among the two guards they watched and chatted with were Nik Stauskas of Michigan, Kentucky's James Young and UCLA's Zach LaVine - all late-lottery candidates - to Virginia's Joe Harris - a possible late-first to early second round selection - to second-rounders like Missouri's Jabari Brown and Iowa's Devyn Marble.
Perhaps the most intriguing shooting guard prospect, though, is someone the Bucks haven't shown much interest in: P.J. Hairston.
Those first few names Woelfel mentions are particularly interesting because they're currently projected in an area where the Bucks have no picks (DX has Young #13, Stauskas #14, LaVine #16, Hairston #24). However, it may also suggest that the Bucks may be looking to use their high second-rounders (with no cap holds) to put together a package that may help them vault back up to the first round or perhaps even near the end of the lottery. That seems difficult to imagine at this point--and may not even be preferred--but it's interesting to see the Bucks planning for different possibilities in these early stages.
It should also go without saying that these are just conversations at this point--lots of teams talked to lots of players over the course of the combine. Now, if these players start getting brought in for team workouts, there might be something worth getting excited about. We'll just have to take a wait-and-see approach on this for now.
DraftExpress | Videos: Combine Interviews
If you missed anything from last week's combine, get caught up with DX's extensive interview list. There's just tons and tons of fantastic content over there for you to plow through.
Finally, in advance of tomorrow's lottery, I threw out a simple question to just see what kind of responses I would get.
Crowdsourcing: What will your reaction be if the Milwaukee Bucks get the number one pick tomorrow?
— Eric Buenning (@ericbuenning) May 19, 2014
So far, the early returns have been pretty solid. A few people have mentioned going streaking (good luck in this weather), while others have said they will probably cry. Here is a short list of my favorite answers, though. Feel free to chime in with yours below.
This will be my reaction ( http://t.co/0LQHEeSwsX). I look forward to hearing yours.
— Eric Buenning (@ericbuenning) May 19, 2014
@ericbuenning The Sam Cassell Dance, probably.
— Dan Shafer (@danshaferMKE) May 19, 2014
@ericbuenning http://t.co/3BnKTDYHXv
— Mitch Vomhof (@mitchvomhof) May 19, 2014
@ericbuenning I'll be doing my best Kevin McAllister impression tomorrow night if we get #1. http://t.co/jJzCOGXM1x
— Paul Henning (@brewcitypaul) May 19, 2014
@ericbuenning A loud girl like scream.
— Clint Fredenberg (@ClintFred84) May 19, 2014