The Milwaukee Bucks have endless optionality when it comes to the 2026 NBA Draft. Due to the uncertainty around Giannis Antetokounmpo, how the rest of the Bucks' offseason will shake out is anyone's guess. So much will depend on what the Bucks get in return for their Greek superstar in the inevitable trade.
Even though the expectation was for the trade to take place before the draft, June 23rd is right around the corner. It's not clear that the Bucks will be able to get the deal across the finish line between now and then. This makes their decision with the No. 10 pick a difficult one.
One under-discussed possibility is to trade out of the pick entirely. Different ideas about trading up or down in the draft have been posited, but there is an equally fascinating trade-out scenario where the Bucks can end up as the winners of the draft.
Bucks can take advantage of the Pelicans' desperation in the NBA Draft
This requires the New Orleans Pelicans as the trade partner. Recent reports suggest that the Pelicans are desperately trying to trade into the lottery in the draft. After trading away their 2026 pick in last year's draft to select Derik Queen, the Pelicans are left without a first-rounder. They are reportedly trying to remedy it as they have a specific target in the top-ten range, per HoopsHype's Michael Scotto.
Milwaukee's No. 10 pick might be exactly what the Pelicans are looking for. The Bucks could take advantage of this desperation and get a haul for their pick.
There are different ways to pull off this trade. The Bucks could simply get an unprotected future Pelicans pick instead. It's generally a good idea to bet against the Pelicans. Atlanta secured the eighth-overall pick from the Pelicans after trading them the No. 13 pick that became Queen last year. Given how far the Pels are from being a playoff team, the Bucks will likely benefit from this swap.
One future first alone may not be enough to entice the Bucks. They could ask for a future pick swap or an additional second-round pick to sweeten the pot. The Pelicans also have a few solid veterans, like Saddiq Bey or Yves Missi, who they can include in the deal to make it worth Milwaukee's while.
A package that consists of an unprotected 2027 New Orleans first, Missi, and a second-round pick is a good return for the Bucks.
This could also be a part of a larger trade. The Bucks could use this deal to move on from Myles Turner and Kyle Kuzma, as well. The Pelicans have Dejounte Murray, Jordan Poole's expiring salary, or Herb Jones on their books that could be of interest to the Bucks.
As nice as it would be to try to land a future star in this year's draft, the Bucks have to be in asset accumulation mode in the post-Giannis era. A trade with the Pelicans could help them maximize their future assets.
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