With the midway point of the 2025-26 NBA regular season just over the horizon, the Milwaukee Bucks are 17-23. It's a brutal place to be considering Giannis Antetokounmpo has been at the heart of trade rumors and speculation pieces since the summer.
If there's one silver lining for the Bucks to embrace, however, it's the fact that they're on pace to land a top-10 pick in a stacked 2026 NBA Draft—a truth that appeals to everyone but Antetokounmpo.
Milwaukee would still need the lottery system to work in its favor, but it's in an ideal position as far as the future of the franchise is concerned. That may be difficult to see during a trying time for Antetokounmpo, but it's been a decade since the Bucks had the luxury of a lottery pick.
Milwaukee's most recent top-14 pick was made in 2016, when the franchise took a chance on Thon Maker and then traded him within two-and-a-half seasons.
10 years later, the Bucks may finally have a chance to add another top-tier prospect to their roster. It may not be an opportunity that convinces Antetokounmpo to stay, but it should inspire hope that Milwaukee can escape the depths of despair with a potential new cornerstone incoming.
With a surplus of high-level prospects to choose from, the Bucks could realistically turn a disappointing season into an opportunity for a quick rebuild or retooling.
Bucks on pace to have a lottery pick for first time in 10 years
The 2026 NBA Draft is headlined by a trio of players garnering hype as future franchise players: Cameron Boozer, AJ Dybantsa, and Darryn Peterson. If Milwaukee were to receive the opportunity to select any of those three standouts, it would instantly improve its long-term outlook.
Beyond the three names at the top of every big board, however, is a deep class of explosive talent at almost every position.
Caleb Wilson is a standout big with the skill, two-way value, and versatility to help anchor the future of the interior in Milwaukee. Darius Acuff Jr., Mikel Brown Jr. and Kingston Flemings are setting the collegiate scene ablaze as dynamic talents who can run the show at point guard.
Jeremy Woo of ESPN has even identified an ideal fit for the Bucks in his latest mock draft: Florida Gators forward Thomas Haugh.
"Haugh continues to put together a terrific season at Florida, where he has carried a significant load and improved as a scorer. He profiles as a versatile plug-and-play option, with positional size (6-foot-9) and ball-moving instincts that should enhance whatever type of NBA lineups he is dropped into."
Big boards and mock drafts will evolve as the season progresses, but the point stands that 2026 is an ideal time for Milwaukee to end up in the lottery.
Perhaps adding one of the top 10 prospects in the 2026 NBA Draft would appeal to Antetokounmpo and signal that there is, in fact, a future worth believing in. It's simply fair to question if he'll feel that way mere months before turning 32.
Regardless of what transpires moving forward, the Bucks can at least rest easy knowing their first-round pick has significant potential to deliver in 2026.