Coming off their worst regular-season campaign since 2016, the Milwaukee Bucks enter the offseason with significant uncertainty regarding their future. As the 2026 NBA Draft inches closer, one major decision is still looming over the franchise.
After months of speculation, the Giannis Antetokounmpo trade saga seems to be reaching its end. Bucks owner Jimmy Haslam has made it known that the team will decide on Antetokounmpo’s future before the draft.
“Sometime over the next six or seven weeks, we’ll decide whether Giannis is going to sign a max contract and stay with us or he’s going to play somewhere else,” Haslam said at Bucks head coach Taylor Jenkins’s introductory press conference.
On Antetokounmpo’s end, the hiring of Jenkins seemingly hasn’t moved the needle on his decision to stay in Milwaukee. The 2021 NBA Finals MVP gave a simple, “We’ll see,” when asked about playing for Jenkins next year.
Whether or not Antetokounmpo is on the roster next season, it is imperative that the Bucks land an impact player with the 10th overall pick in this year’s draft.
Lack of Homegrown Talent
The last time Milwaukee found themselves in the lottery was 2016, where they also picked at 10th overall. They selected Thon Maker, who never panned out for the Bucks or anyone else in the NBA. They traded Maker to Detroit midway through his third year with the team, and Maker was out of the NBA after the 2020-21 season.
Since selecting Maker, the Bucks have largely failed to utilize the draft in their roster construction. In fact, the only players on the 2025-26 roster who Milwaukee drafted themselves were Antetokounmpo and Andre Jackson Jr.
The absence of homegrown talent on the team stems from repeatedly trading away future draft picks, resulting in a lack of player development.
Dealing Draft Picks
General manager Jon Horst made his first blockbuster trade in 2020, following Milwaukee’s second-round exit to the Miami Heat. Horst acquired Jrue Holiday in a four-team trade with the Pelicans, Nuggets, and Thunder. They sent New Orleans four first-round picks, two of which allowed the Pelicans the right to swap with Milwaukee.
The Holiday trade is largely viewed as a worthwhile deal, due to his contributions to the team. Holiday was a part of the core that helped Milwaukee win its second NBA title in 2021. Unfortunately, they struggled to maintain playoff success following their championship run.
The Bucks failed to even reach the Eastern Conference Finals after 2021. Injuries to Khris Middleton in 2022 and Antetokounmpo in 2023 revealed depth issues amplified by their lack of draft assets.
In 2023, Horst swung for the fences and traded for nine-time All-Star Damian Lillard. The Bucks sent three first-round picks to Portland, meaning that they were sacrificing even more control of their future in hopes of securing another title.
Unfortunately for the Bucks, Lillard’s time in Milwaukee was also plagued by injury. He never truly found his footing with the team, tearing his Achilles tendon in the 2025 NBA Playoffs. Ultimately, Lillard was waived the following offseason.
That’s not to say that Milwaukee hasn’t drafted quality NBA players since Antetokounmpo. Former Bucks Donte DiVincenzo and Malcolm Brogdon both enjoyed sustained careers on other teams. However, after sending away seven first-round picks in two trades, the Bucks haven’t given themselves the chance to develop talent.
Running it Back
If Antetokounmpo decides to stay put in Milwaukee, the expectation is that the Bucks will strive for another championship run. The 31-year-old has made it crystal clear that he is determined to win a second title. It’s perhaps his biggest motivation for possibly leaving the team. In their pursuit of a title, Milwaukee’s lottery selection will need to make an immediate impact on the court.
It’s a blueprint other teams have followed when going for a Finals run. In 2026 alone, rookies like V.J. Edgecombe and Dylan Harper both helped their teams reach and win a playoff series.
Milwaukee doesn’t have the luxury of a top-three pick like the Sixers and Spurs did in last year’s draft. But the Bucks can still benefit greatly from this rare lottery opportunity. A full season of playing alongside Antetokounmpo will immerse any rookie in the team’s playoff culture that he has spent nearly a decade building.
It’s also imperative that the Bucks secure an impact player, given the financial implications. The Bucks have very little wiggle room when it comes to cap space, with Antetokounmpo’s supermax contract and Lillard’s deal still on their books. This leaves Milwaukee with few options in free agency or in trades with other teams. Being able to secure an impactful player on a rookie contract will help the Bucks satisfy Antetokounmpo’s championship goals.
Moving on From Giannis
Trading Antetokounmpo would have massive ramifications for the team. After all, it would mean saying goodbye to the best player in franchise history.
On the bright side, the trade Milwaukee would allow them to truly hit the reset button. A clean slate and increased draft assets would shape the team moving forward. Selecting a promising player in this year’s draft would be the perfect start to life without Antetokounmpo.
It would also allow them to focus on the development of their lottery pick. It hasn’t been their forte over the last decade, but a team without Antetokounmpo removes the pressure of championship aspirations.
The last thing the Bucks would want, however, is a return to an era of Bucks basketball before Antetokounmpo. Milwaukee went 17 seasons without a playoff series win between 2002 and 2019, with Antetokounmpo being the catalyst behind the franchise’s resurgence. They would need to make calculated decisions in this scenario to ensure that history doesn’t repeat itself.
Landing a quality player in the draft would be the first step in rebuilding the team for the future. But before the Bucks make their selection in the 2026 NBA Draft, they must come to a resolution with Antetokounmpo.
Whether it concludes with him on the Bucks next year, or him playing in a different uniform, their incoming rookie needs to be a contributor to Milwaukee for years to come.
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