The NBA Draft Lottery will take place this Sunday, and the Milwaukee Bucks are hoping they get a little lucky. Per ESPN's Jeremy Woo, the Bucks have a 3.1 percent chance of landing the second, third, or fourth overall pick. To put it bluntly, the odds are not in Milwaukee's favor, but that doesn't mean it's impossible.
The odds are slim because it would require not only them jumping ahead, but also the New Orleans Pelicans shooting up and landing ahead of them. Due to trades, the Atlanta Hawks own the better of the two picks between Milwaukee and New Orleans, while the Bucks get the worse of the two. That means the Bucks will not only be watching their own lottery spot, but also the Pelicans'.
Bucks need luck on their side in the lottery
Teams have shot up significantly in the draft order before. In 2014, when the Milwaukee Bucks were the favorites to land the top pick, the Cleveland Cavaliers earned it despite having just a 1.9 percent chance of doing so. The Dallas Mavericks had a mere 1.8 percent chance to land the first pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, and they somehow got it. Crazy things can happen every year.
Currently, the Milwaukee Bucks are projected to pick 10th, while the Pelicans/Hawks are at seventh. Both teams leaping into the top four feels like an incredibly unlikely outcome, but it would be the best scenario for a Milwaukee team that desperately needs a shot in the arm from what is looking like one of the most loaded draft classes in recent memory.
A top pick could be just what Bucks need
The top four selections in this draft class all feel set in stone, although the order differs. AJ Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson, Cameron Boozer, and Caleb Wilson are four players who scream franchise-altering potential. If the Milwaukee Bucks could get their hands on any of those players, it would drastically change everything, whether or not Giannis Antetokounmpo is on the roster.
If Giannis stays, the Milwaukee Bucks suddenly have an opportunity to pair him with one of the top young prospects, giving him a new running mate. If he leaves, any of these players could step into the role of franchise centerpiece. As the Bucks look to bounce back from a disastrous season, some luck could go a long way.
Plenty of questions will be answered this Sunday when the order is revealed.
Stay tuned for more Milwaukee Bucks analysis.
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