Following yet another blowout loss, it's only a matter of time before the Milwaukee Bucks' focus shifts from playoff contention to draft position. For most teams, that could be the ultimate silver lining to an ugly season. For the Bucks, it's the start of another possible headache, given Milwaukee's incredibly shaky draft record under the current regime.
Bucks' draft history features miss after miss
Since he took over as general manager in 2017, Jon Horst hasn't had many draft picks, but when he has, he's failed to bring in meaningful contributors.
In 2017, he took D.J. Wilson, whose biggest contribution was being traded for P.J. Tucker. In the next draft, they took Donte DiVincenzo, who was a nice player but couldn't stay healthy. Jordan Nwora and Sam Merrill had potential as second-round picks, but both never made it far with the squad (although Merrill has now blossomed into a solid rotational piece with the Cleveland Cavaliers).
With a rare first-round pick in 2022, the team took MarJon Beauchamp but never truly let him off the leash. Like Wilson, his greatest contribution was being traded for a different player. Chris Livingston and Andre Jackson Jr. both had potential as second-round picks, but they were always held back. Despite being drafted in 2024, neither AJ Johnson nor Tyler Smith is still on the team.
This past draft, Milwaukee took Bogoljub Markovic and immediately elected to send him overseas to play out the season. That type of action perfectly captures Milwaukee's mindset during most of the Jon Horst era when it comes to picks. Despite having a superstar in his prime, they've opted to take high-risk gambles on raw prospects who won't be ready for a few years at the minimum.
What's stopping them from doing something egregious once again?
The Bucks must be wise with their draft pick
Most mock drafts have the Milwaukee Bucks picking around 10th. That would be the highest range they've ever been in during the Horst era. With that in mind, some think Horst might have an easier time finding help rather than scouring the late first round or mid-second. On paper, that does make sense, but they also passed on plenty of win-now pieces when they added AJ Johnson.
Nothing is a given when the Milwaukee Bucks are on the clock.
To make the misery-filled roller coaster that has been the 2025-26 NBA season worth it, the Bucks must nail this upcoming pick. If they take another player and fail to maximize their potential, it could be the ultimate nail in the coffin for this team's contending hopes over the next several seasons. Do they want their current situation to be a bump in the road or the new norm? Only time will tell.
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