Jan 24, 2024; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Bucks general manager Jon Horst address the media after head coach Adrian Griffin (not pictured) was dismissed at Fiserv Forum. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-Imagn Images Benny Sieu-Imagn Images

Bucks Reportedly Preparing to Make Big Moves on Draft Night

Originally posted on Milwaukee Bucks on SI
By Gabe Smallson | Last updated Jun 24, 2025 5:03 PM ET

The Milwaukee Bucks are looking to make a much deeper run in the playoffs next season as their 48-34 record earned them a spot in the No. 5 seed in the Eastern Conference and a first-round exit to the Indiana Pacers.

As the Oklahoma City Thunder were crowned champions of the basketball world, the next event that Milwaukee has its' sights set on is the NBA Draft. With the No. 47 overall pick, fans can expect the Bucks to care less about the lower-level selections in the draft, and more about using the pick as leverage to improve the team by trade.

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Bucks insider Sean Wright reported that Milwaukee's general manager Jon Hurst has an 'ace up his sleeve' looking ahead to Wednesday's draft.

SOURCE: #Bucks GM Jon Horst reportedly has an “ace up his sleeve” for Wednesday’s NBA Draft.

The #Bucks have been linked to trades into the first round as they look to get younger.
— Sean Wright (@SeanWrightNBA) June 23, 2025

Wright also wrote that the Bucks are aiming to get younger and may achieve this by trading into the first round of the draft.

The Bucks were tied for the eight-oldest roster in the NBA last season with the Los Angeles Lakers and New York Knicks. The average age of Milwaukee's team was 26.9 years old.

The draft has plenty of potential to be deeper than recent years' pool of players and can prove to be the perfect opportunity for the Bucks to get much-needed depth, while also achieving their goal of a fostering a younger team.

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One of the biggest pressure points this offseason will be dealing with Damian Lillard's absence after he tore his left Achilles during Game 4 of the first-round of the playoffs. This was also just two games back since Lillard missed extended time with deep vein thrombosis in his right calf.

Lillard's indefinite vacancy will be a giant hole to overcome, but perhaps developing a younger player in the Draft can be the first step to lessening the void.

As the Draft approaches, and perhaps more potential deals will start to materialize, fans can finally start to see what the reported 'ace' up Horst's sleeve really is.

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This article first appeared on Milwaukee Bucks on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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