This morning, I broke down how the Bucks’ lack of movable assets meant it would be difficult for the Bucks to move into the first round, and might make for a quiet night. That is how things ended up playing out. Milwaukee did not make a move for a first-round pick and did not end up participating in the first night of the draft Wednesday. They have the No. 47 pick on Thursday.
While the Bucks did not make a pick, they were at least tangentially involved in one of the most surprising moves of the entire night. The New Orleans Pelicans traded the No. 23 pick in this year’s draft and a 2026 first-round pick to the Atlanta Hawks to move up for No. 13 pick.
The Bucks played a part in that trade because the 2026 pick the Pelicans sent to the Hawks is the unprotected most favorable selection between the Bucks and Pelicans. The Pelicans had acquired the rights to swap 2026 first-round picks with the Bucks in the Jrue Holiday trade.
It is unclear exactly what the Pelicans will be next season. New Orleans Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations Joe Dumars was incredibly aggressive on Wednesday night, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they will be better than they were this season, when they ended up in the top 10 of this year’s draft. If they are high in the draft once again, the Bucks could have some wiggle room in keeping their pick, even if they don’t end up in the playoffs next season.
The Hawks will eagerly be watching the Bucks and Pelicans next season to see how high that pick might be able to go because of New Orleans’ risky decision to part with an unprotected first-round pick in next year’s draft.
