The Milwaukee Bucks want to stack as many draft picks as possible if Giannis Antetokounmpo finds himself on a new team this summer. Per NBA insider Jake Fischer, the Bucks are making calls to land a possible third pick in the top 20 of this draft—they would have their own and Miami's—and possibly even a pick ahead of their own at 10th overall. None of this works if they miss on the picks.
If Milwaukee does move forward with trading Giannis to Miami, the Bucks will assuredly receive the Heat’s No. 13 pick along with other draft capital.
— Jake Fischer (@JakeLFischer) June 12, 2026
League sources say Milwaukee is also calling rival teams in search of a third top-20 pick, and potentially another pick in the… https://t.co/Rnk5biAEE9
Bucks' draft record does not instill confidence
Since Jon Horst took over as general manager, his drafting has been his greatest fault. Time and time again, he has taken massive swings that just haven't worked in Milwaukee's favor, such as going after AJ Johnson over players like Kyshawn George, Ryan Dunn, and Terrence Shannon Jr. Johnson didn't even make it through an entire season with the team.
Despite the poor drafting, it makes sense that the Milwaukee Bucks seemingly want to stock up on as many picks from this class as they can. It's a fantastic draft class, with some saying it is the strongest in many years. If the Bucks trade Giannis, having three youngsters from an elite collection of talent to start over with would be a dream scenario.
Even with countless misses over the years, it would be hard—though not impossible—for the Bucks to strike out on all three picks with so much talent available.
Bucks' draft plans will depend where Giannis lands
There's no telling where the Milwaukee Bucks will end up picking if they end up with three picks on the opening night of the draft. However, no matter where they land, it feels clear that they should be after a guard, a big man, and then the best player left on the board with their potential third and final pick.
With their highest pick, going for a guard feels like the move. The Milwaukee Bucks do have interest in Mikel Brown Jr., the Louisville guard they have worked out, and he would be an excellent pick at 10 or higher. With their second pick, Hannes Steinbach could be a good fit to beef up the frontcourt in a world without Giannis. Later on, Cameron Carr or Dailyn Swain could be underrated pickups.
The talent will be there. It will be up to the Milwaukee Bucks to identify what the team needs and which players can best help them achieve that. Trading Giannis would hurt, but it would sting far worse if the Bucks fail to find adequate talent despite it basically being served to them a golden platter in the aftermath of a move.
Stay tuned for more Milwaukee Bucks analysis.
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