Why the Milwaukee Bucks Draft History Matters in Giannis Antetokounmpo Trade Saga

The Bucks have a major decision to make this summer. Giannis Antetokounmpo wants to compete for a championship. Rumors have been swirling that he is angling for a trade behind the scenes. He has never publicly said anything directly, so Milwaukee’s front office believes they can convince him to stay. The Bucks have reportedly said that if he is traded, it would happen prior to the 2026 NBA Draft.

"This is as toxic of a team situation as any in the league": Inside the lost season of the 2025-26 Milwaukee Bucks and the fractured relationship between the franchise and its cornerstone Giannis Antetokounmpo. https://t.co/K5bYdfcSZO
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) April 7, 2026

Jon Horst could take the first major step toward doing so during the draft by restocking the Bucks with a major talent upgrade in one of the deepest draft classes in recent memory. There is just one large elephant in the room here.

Horst has been one of the worst drafting general managers in the NBA since he was promoted to GM in 2017. The Bucks have the 10th pick in the 2026 NBA Draft. Let’s take a stroll down memory lane and look at some of these past gems and what they tell us about what to expect in this current class.

2017 Draft

Pick No. 17: DJ Wilson | 6'10" | 234 lbs | Sophomore | Michigan

Wilson could never figure out his role in the NBA. He played 3.5 seasons in Milwaukee and bounced around the NBA for two more seasons after that. He averaged 4.4 points per game, 3.1 rebounds per game, and 12 minutes per game.

Notable names passed on: John Collins, Jarrett Allen, OG Anunoby, Kyle Kuzma, Derrick White, and Josh Hart

2018 Draft

Pick No. 17: Donte DiVincenzo | 6'4" | 201 lbs | Sophomore | Villanova

Donte was a good contributing role player for the Bucks for 4.5 seasons. His career improved once he moved on to the Knicks and Timberwolves. He has career averages of 11 points per game, 4.3 rebounds per game, and 3.0 assists per game on 42/38/76 shooting splits.

Notable names passed on: Josh Okogie, Anfernee Simons, and Jalen Brunson

2019 Draft

Pick traded to acquire Jon Leuer

The Detroit Pistons traded Leuer in exchange for Tony Snell and the 30th overall pick.

Notable names passed on: Kevin Porter Jr., Nic Claxton, Daniel Gafford, and Terance Mann

2020 Draft

Pick traded to acquire Malcolm Brogdon

Indiana traded Brogdon to Milwaukee in exchange for a 2020 first-round pick, a 2022 second-round pick, and a 2025 second-round pick.

Notable names passed on: Desmond Bane, Tre Jones, Nick Richards, and Isaiah Joe

2021 Draft

Pick traded to acquire P. J. Tucker, Rodions Kurucs, and the Bucks’ own 2022 first-round pick, which had previously been traded.

The Rockets received D. J. Augustin, DJ Wilson, the Bucks’ unprotected 2023 first-round pick, and the 2021 draft pick swap, which they exercised.

Notable names passed on: Quentin Grimes, Cam Thomas, Bones Hyland, Day'Ron Sharpe, Herb Jones, Ayo Dosunmu, and Aaron Wiggins

2022 Draft

Pick No. 24: MarJon Beauchamp | 6'6" | 197 lbs | G League |

Beauchamp is struggling to find his footing in the NBA. He played 2.5 years for the Bucks and has been moved to three different teams in two years. He averages 4.4 points per game, 1.9 rebounds per game, and 0.6 steals per game on 43/35/71 shooting splits.

Notable names passed on: Peyton Watson, Andrew Nembhard, Jaylin Williams, and Max Christie

2023 Draft

Pick traded as mentioned above.

Notable names passed on: Kobe Brown, GG Jackson, and Toumani Camara

2024 Draft

Pick No. 23: AJ Johnson | 6'5" | 167 lbs | International |

AJ had some real talent but was incredibly raw and young. His historically small build was a red flag, but Horst took him anyway. He was traded less than a year into his career. He is averaging 4.9 points per game, 1.5 rebounds per game, and 1.6 assists per game on 35/24/85 shooting splits.

Notable names passed on: Keyshawn George, Terrence Shannon Jr., Isaiah Collier, Ajay Mitchell, Jaylen Wells, Pelle Larsson, and Cam Spencer

2025 Draft

Pick traded to acquire Jrue Holiday

The Pelicans traded Holiday in exchange for the Bucks’ 2025 first-round pick, 2027 first-round pick, and pick swaps in 2026.

Notable names passed on: Nolan Traore, Kasparas Jakucionis, Will Riley, Danny Wolf, and Maxime Raynaud

The Bucks are running out of time. Giannis Antetokounmpo wants to compete for championships, not fight for the 6th seed every year with an aging roster and no young talent coming through the pipeline. That is the reality Milwaukee is staring at right now.

The scary part for Bucks fans is that the organization finally has a real chance to add a premium young player in a loaded draft class. The problem is Jon Horst and this front office has not exactly earned the benefit of the doubt when it comes to drafting. There are misses all over this timeline and even worse, a ton of productive players that were sitting right there on the board.

If Milwaukee nails this pick, maybe it gives Giannis a reason to believe this thing still has life. If they miss again, the trade rumors are only going to get louder from here.

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