Pre-Draft Outlook
Everything Bucks-related at this stage hangs on the potential trade of superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo. All signs point to him playing his 13th NBA season for another franchise, and if that happens, it seals Milwaukee’s approach to 2026-27 and beyond as a down-to-the-studs rebuild. The roster is threadbare and coach Doc Rivers is gone, having snagged his alleged dream job a couple of seasons too late. Rivers’ replacement, Taylor Jenkins, can fit whether he has Antetokounmpo on board or not.
The Way to Go
The Athletic reported that the Bucks met and spoke with a fleet of draft prospects at the Chicago combine, enough that the tactic seemed to extend beyond just the No. 10 pick. It could have been prep work for securing multiple picks in an 11th-hour Antetokounmpo transaction, a way to kick-start the rebuilding process in a draft regarded as deep. One player’s name has appeared in multiple mocks: Tennessee’s Nate Ament. The 6-foot-10 wing could help with or without Antetokounmpo and showed enough between a slow start and a late-season injury to merit consideration here. Another name: Alabama guard Labaron Philon Jr. to team in the backcourt with Ryan Rollins, one of Milwaukee’s few bright spots from last season.
— Steve Aschburner
Under Contract
G: A.J. Green
G: Ryan Rollins
G: Gary Trent Jr.
F: Giannis Antetokounmpo
F: Kyle Kuzma
F: Bobby Portis
C/F: Myles Turner
C: Jericho Sims
Free agents
G: Gary Harris
G: Andre Jackson Jr.
G/F: Kevin Porter Jr.
F: Thanasis Antetokounmpo
F: Taurean Prince