Milwaukee Bucks: 5 takeaways from Jon Horst’s offseason presser

Milwaukee Bucks: 5 takeaways from Jon Horst’s offseason presser – 3. The Bucks will hold trade talks surrounding the 24th pick in the NBA Draft

The Milwaukee Bucks haven’t maintained its first-round pick since 2018 when they drafted Donte DiVincenzo with the 17th overall pick. Milwaukee holds the 24th overall pick this year but may not use it in favor of trading back in the draft like last year, attaching it to a package to acquire a more experienced rotation player, or utilizing it to offload an unwanted contract.

There are many intriguing prospects in the 2022 NBA Draft that could benefit the Bucks for both the present and long-term future, so it could be wise to draft a young prospect that’s NBA-ready with room for growth. Besides, the Bucks’ core is getting older, and Giannis Antetokounmpo is the only Buck on the roster that was a first-round pick by the organization.

If Milwaukee does decide to trade the pick, it seems like the most likely scenario would be to trade back in the draft to acquire more assets that are less valuable while saving money. An idea would be to attach the 24th pick with George Hill’s $4.0 million expiring contract in a deal with a potential team like the Memphis Grizzlies, who could be willing to absorb Hill in exchange for swapping their 29th pick for No. 24.

Of course, general manager Jon Horst and the front office will explore ways to maximize the asset and should have plenty of options on the table throughout draft night. It’s not a certain conclusion that the Bucks will trade their late first-round pick, but it will always be a possibility as long as they’re contending for titles.