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The Milwaukee Bucks won’t have a first-round pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, which is June 25 and June 26.
But they do have a second-round pick, the 47th choice overall. And there’s always the chance that they’ll make a trade connected to the draft.
So what should we know about the Bucks and their NBA Draft situation?
Here’s a rundown of what’s going on:
Will the Bucks have any draft picks in the first round of the 2025 draft?
Nope. They traded their first-round pick in 2020 to the New Orleans Pelicans in the exchange that brought them Jrue Holiday.
Will the Bucks at least have a second-round pick in 2025?
Yes, the Bucks got the second-best of Washington’s three second-round picks as part of the Khris Middleton trade ― it’s the 47th pick overall.
Milwaukee’s own second-round pick was also traded in 2020, originally sent to Cleveland for the rights to Turkish player İlkan Karaman.
What picks do the Milwaukee Bucks have in future years?
By now you know that the answer is “not many.”
2026: They’ll get a first-round pick, but New Orleans has the right to swap picks for a more favorable position. This is also part of the 2020 Holiday trade. They do have a second-round pick from Utah (top-55 protected, though, so Utah still gets to keep its pick if the second-rounder is in the top 55).2027: No picks. The first-rounder belongs to the Pelicans (still the Holiday trade). The second-rounder went to Philadelphia in the Patrick Beverley trade.2028: They have a pick but Portland has the right to swap as part of the 2023 trade for Damian Lillard. The Bucks also added a second swap with Washington as part of the Middleton trade. If the Bucks are 20th, the Blazers 21st and the Wizards 22nd, the Blazers will swap to 20th, and then the Wizards will swap with the Bucks to take No. 21, leaving the Bucks at 22. So, if Portland and Washington are both worse than Milwaukee, the Bucks will keep their original pick. If one or both teams finish better, they’ll swap up. Milwaukee also doesn’t have a second-round pick, because that went to Brooklyn for Jae Crowder.2029: No picks. The first-round pick went to Portland in the Lillard deal, and the second-rounder went to Brooklyn in the Crowder deal.2030: They have a pick but Portland can swap again (still the Lillard deal). The second-rounder went to Orlando as part of a 2023 draft-day trade for Andre Jackson Jr.2031: Hey they have their original picks! For now.2032: They also have these picks! Own the future!So if the Bucks find themselves in the lottery next year …
Their pick is going to New Orleans unless the Pelicans’ pick is already higher.
Even if they get the No. 1 pick?
Yep, sorry.
Will we ever enjoy a draft again if we root for the Milwaukee Bucks?
The Bucks haven’t really used the draft as the primary tool to get better for quite some time. Denver superstar Nikola Jokić was drafted 41st overall, so never give up your dreams of finding a transcendent player in unusual parts of the draft. Plus, you can always follow the Wisconsin kids like Kon Knueppel.
Where will Kon Knueppel get drafted?
The Wisconsin Lutheran High School alumnus is regarded as a safe bet as a lottery selection, maybe as high as a top-five pick.
Are there any other players with Wisconsin connections likely to get drafted?
It’s likely that former Marquette guard Kam Jones and former Wisconsin guard John Tonje will hear their names called in the second round of the 2025 NBA Draft on June 26, based on mock-draft projections.
Former Wisconsin guard Chucky Hepburn, who transferred to Louisville for the 2024-25 season, has an outside chance of being a second-round pick.
When is the 2025 NBA Draft?First roundDate: Wednesday, June 25Time: 7 p.m. CTTV: ESPN, ABCStream: ESPNSecond roundDate: Thursday, June 26Time: 7 p.m. CTTV: ESPNStream: ESPN2025 NBA Draft first-round order1. Dallas2. San Antonio3. Philadelphia4. Charlotte5. Utah6. Washington7. New Orleans8. Brooklyn9. Toronto10. Houston (reportedly traded to Phoenix)11. Portland12. Chicago13. Atlanta14. San Antonio15. Oklahoma City16. Memphis 17. Minnesota 18. Washington 19. Brooklyn 20. Miami 21. Utah 22. Atlanta (reportedly traded to Brooklyn)23. New Orleans24. Oklahoma City 25. Orlando 26. Brooklyn 27. Brooklyn 28. Boston29. Phoenix 30. Los Angeles Clippers 2025 NBA Draft second-round order31. Minnesota 32. Boston 33. Charlotte34. Charlotte35. Philadelphia36. Brooklyn37. Detroit 38. San Antonio39. Toronto40. Washington (reportedly traded to New Orleans)41. Golden State 42. Sacramento 43. Utah 44. Oklahoma City45. Chicago46. Orlando47. Milwaukee48. Memphis49. Cleveland50. New York51. Los Angeles Clippers52. Phoenix 53. Utah54. Indiana55. Los Angeles Lakers56. Memphis 57. Orlando 58. Cleveland59. Houston
(New York’s second-round pick was rescinded by the NBA)
2025 NBA Draft odds favorites (top 10 picks)
Odds courtesy of BetMGM as of June 24
Dallas Mavericks: Cooper Flagg, Duke (-10000)San Antonio Spurs: Dylan Harper, Rutgers (-10000)Philadelphia 76ers: VJ Edgecombe, Baylor (-275)Charlotte Hornets: Kon Knueppel, Duke (-200)Utah Jazz: Tre Johnson, Texas, and Jeremiah Fears, Oklahoma (+200)Washington Wizards: Ace Bailey, Rutgers (+140)New Orleans Pelicans: Jeremiah Fears, Oklahoma (+200)Brooklyn Nets: Jeremiah Fears, Oklahoma; Khaman Maluach, Duke; and Egor Demin, BYU (+450)Toronto Raptors: Khaman Maluach, Duke (+220)Houston Rockets: Derik Queen, Maryland (+350)