Milwaukee, WI
The Milwaukee Bucks’ Draft Picks: Current Status And Future Options
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN – JANUARY 24: General manager Jon Horst of the Milwaukee Bucks speaks to the … [+]
As the Milwaukee Bucks gear up for another critical offseason, their draft capital is under close scrutiny. It’s a bare cupboard thanks to their goal of building a championship-caliber team around Giannis Antetokounmpo before the clock strikes midnight on his prime.
That leaves Milwaukee with very few options when it comes to upgrade their roser—an important task following a second-straight premature playoff exit in the first round. Here’s a comprehensive look at the current status of the Bucks’ draft picks, the ones they’ve traded away, and the options they have moving forward.
Inventory of Draft Picks
Picks the Bucks Currently Own:
- 2024 First-Round Pick: The Bucks own the 23rd selection in the 2024 NBA Draft. They were initially awarded the 21st pick, but the New Orleans Pelicans held a swap.
- 2024 Second-Round Pick: The Bucks own the 33rd selection in the 2024 NBA Draft.
- 2026 First-Round Pick: Milwaukee retains this pick, although it is subject to a potential pick swap with the New Orleans Pelicans.
- 2028 First-Round Pick: The Portland Trail Blazers hold the right to swap picks with the Bucks.
- 2030 First-Round Pick: Similar to 2028, the Trail Blazers have the right to swap picks.
- 2031 First-Round Pick: Available to trade starting the night of the 2024 draft.
- 2031 Second-Round Pick: This pick is also available for trade or use.
Traded Away Draft Picks
The Bucks have traded away several picks in recent years as they’ve pushed for championship contention. Here’s a detailed look at those transactions:
- 2025 First-Round Pick: This pick is conditionally owed to New Orleans (if it falls within the 1-4 range) or New York (if it falls within the 5-30 range).
- 2027 First-Round Pick: This pick is fully unprotected and owed to the New Orleans Pelicans.
- 2029 First-Round Pick: This pick is unprotected and committed to the Portland Trail Blazers.
General Options with Draft Picks
Given the limited and conditional nature of their draft assets, the Bucks’ front office needs to be strategic. Here are some potential options they can explore:
1. Using Existing Picks for Long-Term Roster-Building
The Bucks could keep their 23rd and 33rd overall selections to add more young players to their roster. This would give them cheaper alternatives than trading for a veteran who has already signed a lucrative contract. This would also give them a lottery-ticket to develop players who could become stable parts of the franchise.
2. Utilizing Picks in Draft-Day Trades
On draft night, the Bucks can leverage their picks to move up or acquire additional assets. This can include:
- Moving Up in the Draft: Packaging their 2024 first-round pick with a player or another pick to move higher in the draft and select a promising young talent.
- Trade for a Veteran: Combining their 23rd overall pick, 33rd overall selection, 2031 first and/or 2031 second in any combination with a current player to upgrade the roster.
3. Strategic Pick Swaps
Considering the numerous pick swaps with New Orleans and Portland, the Bucks can:
- Negotiate Pick Swaps: Engage in discussions with the Pelicans and Blazers to navigate around the swaps, potentially offering other assets to retain certain picks. This would give them more flexibility about which picks they can trade this offseason.
The Bucks have a nuanced draft pick situation. While they’ve traded away significant future assets to build a championship-contending roster, they still hold a couple of valuable picks. The key for the Bucks is to leverage their existing picks to enhance their roster while navigating the complexities of their traded and swapped picks.
As the offseason unfolds, the Bucks’ front office faces the challenge of balancing immediate roster improvements with the preservation of future flexibility. The decisions made regarding their draft picks will be pivotal in maintaining their competitive edge and maximizing the prime years of Giannis Antetokounmpo. Whether they opt for immediate trades or strategic draft maneuvers, the Bucks’ draft strategy will play a crucial role in shaping their pursuit of sustained success.
Milwaukee, WI
Same name keeps coming up in mock drafts as possible Bucks selection
Bucks co-owner Jimmy Haslam talks greater involvement, Giannis future
Bucks co-owner Jimmy Haslam says that he will have a greater involvement with the team and that includes the decision on if to re-sign Giannis Antetokounmpo.
The Milwaukee Bucks know their placement in the 2026 NBA Draft, slotted No. 10 for their first lottery pick in a decade. Who are some of the possible selections at that spot when June 23 rolls around?
Check out what the first post-lottery wave of mock drafts has to say, most of them pointing to same prospect, that being Nate Ament of Tennessee, a 6-10 freshman small forward.
Nate Ament, forward, Tennessee
From Spencer Woo of ESPN: “While Ament’s stock has slipped from an early top-five projection, he had productive stretches this season within a tricky team context and has room to help himself in workouts. Although scouts are split on whether he has star potential or projects better as a long-term supporting player, there is still plenty of intrigue around Ament in the lottery. As a tall skill player with shotmaking upside, Ament fits a player archetype that teams often love to swing on. As Milwaukee considers a post-Antetokounmpo future, a malleable upside swing such as Ament could be a fit.”
Kevin O’Connor of Yahoo! Sports: “The Bucks should take a swing to jump-start their new era, whether or not Giannis Antetokounmpo is part of it. Players who can handle, shoot off the dribble, and stand at 6-foot-10 don’t grow on trees. This physical foundation kept Ament in lottery consideration even after a dreadful start to his freshman season when he struggled to score efficiently and make an impact defensively. But over the second half of the year for Tennessee, he flipped a switch and shots began to fall. He averaged 23.8 points over a six-game stretch in January and February that reminded everyone why he was a top recruit in the country. Then he dealt with an ankle injury that ruined his momentum entering March and he severely struggled during the tournament. Bucks general manager Jon Horst has never been afraid to take risks though. If Ament pans out, it could look like a stroke of genius.”
Gary Parrish of CBS Sports: “Ament had an up-and-down freshman season for the Vols – but the upside isn’t hard to spot. Less than a year ago, the 2025 McDonald’s All-American was considered a possible top-five pick. So getting Ament here would be nice for a Bucks franchise that seems on the verge of rebuilding after presumably trading Giannis Antetokounmpo this offseason.”
The Ringer: “Barring some transactional magic, this could be Milwaukee’s best bite at the talent apple in the draft for a while. The Bucks don’t currently have control over a first-round pick until 2031. If Giannis Antetokounmpo decides it’s time to move on, this roster will be rudderless and talent-deprived. If Giannis decides not to move on, it’ll have a rudder but still won’t go anywhere. Less than ideal, but that makes this a ‘best player available’ scenario, or rather ‘best wager available.’ There are definitely more stable options in this range, but Ament’s higher possible outcomes justify this pick. Ament fell short of expectations this past season, and he slid from top-five consideration as a result, but the jumbo-sized, smooth-moving ball handler is still a worthy bet here. Handling the ball at 6-foot-10 is an intriguing enough skill to instill some belief that he could develop into a quality asset. And the Bucks can take the risk given their circumstances.
Adam Finkelstein of CBS Sports: “Ament is a polarizing prospect with a wide range of outcomes on draft night. A late-blooming 6-foot-10 combo-forward who is fluid, has touch, and skill, he’s also inconsistent and needs to get stronger. While his freshman year was up and down, Ament’s overall arc has been linear, and there’s still glaring potential. That upside makes him a logical choice for a Milwaukee team that has a very uncertain future ahead of them.”
Brian Lewis of New York Post: “After the run on guards, taking an upside swing on a gifted developmental player here seems like a worthy gamble for a Bucks team that could be in full-on rebuild in a post-Giannis era.”
Two other names mentioned
From Eric Nehm of The Athletic: “This was an incredibly difficult pick to make without knowing what the Bucks are going to do with Giannis Antetokounmpo. If the 10-time All-Star forward remains in Milwaukee, it might make more sense to look at someone like Yaxel Lendeborg, who could make an impact right away and give the Bucks more size and skill. Instead, though, I went with Philon, who has a lot of offensive upside and could be protected on the defensive end by Ryan Rollins. Philon is an electrifying offensive player who shot 50 percent from the field and 39 percent from 3 while averaging 22 points, 3.5 rebounds and five assists per game last season.”
From Kurt Helin of NBC Sports: “The Bucks need all the backcourt help they can get, and Burries may not be flashy, but he does a lot of things well — he can play on and off the ball, can knock down catch-and-shoot jumpers but also attack closeouts, and he gets downhill off screens and has a midrange pull-up game.”
Milwaukee, WI
Brad Paisley to perform at BMO Pavilion in Milwaukee on Sept. 4
Brad Paisley (Photo by Scott Dudelson/Getty Images)
MILWAUKEE – Brad Paisley is scheduled to perform at the BMO Pavilion in Milwaukee on Sept. 4.
Ticket information
What we know:
The ticket pre-sale for Brad’s fan club members, Paisley Nation, begins on Tuesday, May 12 at 10 am. All tickets available at BradPaisley.com.
The tour will also offer a variety of VIP packages and experiences for fans to take their concert experience to the next level.
FREE DOWNLOAD: Get breaking news alerts in the FOX LOCAL Mobile app for iOS or Android
Packages vary but include premium seats, a guided backstage tour, VIP-exclusive gift item, early entry & more. VIP package contents vary depending on the selected offer. For more information, visit VIPnation.com.
The Source: The information in this post was provided by Live Nation.
Milwaukee, WI
WSJ: Billionaire Milwaukee Bucks co-owner targeted in extortion scheme – UPI.com
Billionaire Wes Edens, co-founder of Fortress Investment Group and co-owner of the Milwaukee Bucks NBA club, is shown at Sun Valley, Idaho, on July 9, 2015. The Wall Street Journal on Sunday identified Edens as the victim of a billion-dollar extortion plot allegedly hatched by an ex-lover. File Photo by Andrew Gombert/EPA
May 10 (UPI) — Wes Edens, the billionaire co-founder of Fortress Investment Group and an owner of the NBA’s Milwaukee Bucks, was the target of a billion-dollar extortion scheme allegedly perpetrated by an ex-lover, the Wall Street Journal reported Sunday.
A spokesman for Edens, 64, confirmed to the newspaper that the financier is the unnamed alleged victim in a federal indictment brought against Changli “Sophia” Luo of New York City.
Edens, one of world’s most successful global investment management firm leaders with Fortress, has developed and owned businesses in real estate, transportation, infrastructure, health care, financial services, media and entertainment.
He is also a high-profile sports team owner, including the Bucks and soccer club Aston Villa of the English Premier League. He is credited turning the Bucks from a perennial cellar dweller into a champion squad over a five-year span, culminating in the 2021 NBA championship.
But he also fell victim to a lurid alleged “sextortion” scheme, his spokesman confirmed to the WSJ, admitting the Edens is the unnamed “Victim 1” cited an indictment filed last year in Manhattan federal court against Luo.
The indictment reportedly accuses her of trying to extort Victim 1 of more than $1 billion by threatening to release videos and photos of them engaged in sex. Prosecutors alleged Luo also threatened to contact the victim’s family members and business partners in a threat to destroy his fortune if he did not pay up.
According to the indictment, Luo was arrested June 14 at JFK International Airport as she tried to board a flight to China, the New York Post reported.
“Mr. Edens will be making no comment on the case as the indictment speaks for itself with respect to the charges against the defendant,” his spokesman told the Journal. “Mr. Edens expects to testify under oath at the upcoming trial.”
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