The Milwaukee Bucks’ 2025-26 season was a disappointment. The Bucks limped to a measly 30-52 record. Missing the playoffs was bad enough, but the Bucks faithful also had to deal with constant trade chatter surrounding franchise player Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Giannis was injured much of the year, amplifying the trade noise. While Giannis finished the year in Milwaukee, rumors persist that he will be moved before the 2026 NBA Draft.
The Bucks’ franchise is now at a crossroads with clearly divergent paths this offseason.
If Giannis is traded, that will obviously potentially change the Bucks’ needs and NBA Draft options; they would be in the market for a new starting power forward, for starters. If Giannis is still in Milwaukee, the team will need an immediate impact player and not a project pick.
The Bucks have found some diamonds in the rough and rotational pieces despite a lack of draft success over the last decade, including AJ Green, whom Milwaukee signed as an undrafted free agent. The same goes for Pete Nance and Cormac Ryan this year. The Bucks also traded for Ousmane Dieng at the NBA Trade Deadline, but their biggest gem is Ryan Rollins, who looks like he could be a future star.
While there are some pieces to like, the Bucks need a talent upgrade and more athleticism on the roster.
Bucks Draft Picks:
- Round 1 — No. 10
Bucks Draft Needs:
In today’s NBA, teams need long, 3-and-D wings, and the Bucks’ roster is largely devoid of those players. Milwaukee struggled defending wings with the undersized Green and Gary Trent Jr. on the perimeter. Dieng showed some of what the Bucks need more of in Milwaukee.
The Bucks also need another point guard. While Rollins showed scoring ability and some playmaking, he looks like more of a combo guard than a point guard. A lead guard to pair with Rollins would be a solid combination to help lead the Bucks into the future, with or without Giannis.
Bucks Draft Targets:
Labaron Philon Jr. — G — Alabama
The dynamic 6-foot-4 Philon is considered undersized for a wing, but he flashed point guard potential at Alabama. Philon scored 20 or more points in seven of his final nine games last year, including two 35-point performances; he handed out 12 assists in one of the games he failed to score 20.
Philon would be a tremendous fit next to Ryan Rollins. He averaged 22 points and five assists per game on 50% shooting, including 39.9% from three. Despite a loss to Michigan in the Sweet 16, in a game full of pros, Philon looked like a top-two player on the court. He scored 35 points, hit six three-pointers, had seven rebounds, and added four assists.
Yaxel Lendeborg — F — Michigan
Yaxel Lendeborg is a versatile 6-foot-9 wing/power forward who showed he can guard any position at Michigan.
Lendeborg averaged 15 points and 6.8 rebounds on 51.5% shooting, including better than 37% from three. Before spraining his left MCL and rolling his ankle in the NCAA Tournament, affecting his performance, he started with 25, 23, and 27 points in the Wolverines’ first three games. In the matchup against Philon and the Crimson Tide, Lendeborg added 12 rebounds and seven assists to his 27 points.
Lendeborg makes a lot of sense for the Bucks if they keep Giannis. He’s ready to step in immediately and contribute. If the Bucks move on from Giannis, given he’s already 24, they may go with a younger, less polished player, but one with a higher ceiling than Lendeborg.
Nate Ament — SF — Tennessee
The Tennessee forward is probably the most mocked player to go to the Bucks.
If the Bucks trade Giannis, Ament could be a good investment option as the team’s next power forward. The 19-year-old had an up-and-down year for the Volunteers. Before the 2025-26 season, Ament was projected as a top-5 pick. There are some flags to his game, like him shooting under 40% from the field and 33.3% from three. He also isn’t yet strong enough to finish at the rim through contact, but the 6-foot-10 versatile forward has some tantalizing skills.
Ament averaged 16.7 points and 6.3 rebounds but struggled on the big stage in the tournament. Despite the Vols reaching the Elite 8, Ament wasn’t great. He was held scoreless in a Round of 64 matchup vs. Miami (OH).
Cameron Carr — G/F — Baylor
Perhaps no player helped his stock more at the NBA Draft Combine in Chicago than Carr. In scrimmage play, Carr drained six three-pointers and poured in 30 points with seven rebounds. According to the NBA.com write-up, “he was by far the best prospect on the court out of both games and showed enough to sit out Day 2 of scrimmage play.”
While No. 10 may be a reach for Carr, according to mocks, he is exactly the type of player the Bucks desperately need. As a 6-foot-5 wing, Carr averaged 18.9 points, 5.8 rebounds, and shot 49.4% from the field and 37.4% from three at Baylor last year. He is a versatile defender with a 7-foot wingspan.
Carr would fit with or without Giannis, filling a glaring need for Milwaukee.
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