NBA Draft Rumors: Bucks value Embiid, Exum & Parker over Wiggins
With the number two overall pick in the 2014 NBA Draft, the Milwaukee Bucks are expected to decide between former Kansas Jayhawks’ center Joel Embiid, his Kansas teammate, forward Andrew Wiggins, former Duke Blue Devils’ forward Jabari Parker and Australian point guard Dante Exum.
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Chad Ford of ESPN.com believes the Bucks value Embiid, Exum and Parker over Wiggins.
"They like all four of the top guys. But I think Embiid, Parker and Exum are ahead of Wiggins right now because of perceived fit. Embiid gives them a player that can command a double team in the paint. Parker gives them a go to scorer that can immediately jump start the offense. Exum is the young point guard they’d love to pair next to Giannis Antetokoumpo. I think Wiggins is also a possibility, but I think they feel like he and Giannis might be a little too similar developmentally."
Wiggins averaged 17.1 points, 5.9 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 1.2 steals and 1.0 blocks per game for the Jayhawks last season while shooting 44.8% from the field, 34.1% from beyond the arc and 77.5% from the free throw line. Wiggins is ranked as the top prospect in the draft by Jonathan Givony of Draft Express and is projected to go number one overall.
Recent reports have indicated that the Bucks may prefer Exum to the other prospects, believing that current starting point guard Brandon Knight, may be better suited as a shooting guard playing alongside a big point guard like Exum.
There are recent reports suggesting Wiggins could go number one, which would leave the Bucks with their top three choices on the board.