With the midway point of the 2025-26 NBA regular season just over the horizon, the Milwaukee Bucks are 17-23. It's a brutal place to be considering Giannis Antetokounmpo has been at the heart of trade rumors and speculation pieces since the summer.
If there's one silver lining for the Bucks to embrace, however, it's the fact that they're on pace to land a top-10 pick in a stacked 2026 NBA Draft—a truth that appeals to everyone but Antetokounmpo.
Milwaukee would still need the lottery system to work in its favor, but it's in an ideal position as far as the future of the franchise is concerned.