The Bucks are still living with the kind of draft mistake that keeps nagging long after the night itself is over. In 2024, Milwaukee passed on Ajay Mitchell with the 23rd pick, and now the irony is brutal: Mitchell is viewed as one of the favorites to win Sixth Man of the Year this season after already drawing buzz for that award and Most Improved Player last season.
Mitchell even said on the "Old Man and the Three" podcast that he thought the Bucks were going to call his name. Instead, Milwaukee took another player with the same first name - AJ Johnson.
That decision fits a larger pattern of draft misfires during the Giannis Antetokounmpo era, and Johnson quickly became one of the clearest examples. Milwaukee used a first-round pick on him, only to trade him less than a year later along with franchise icon Khris Middleton for Kyle Kuzma. That deal has lingered with Bucks fans for two years now.
At the time, the Bucks were chasing a young guard with upside, which was the pitch around Johnson. But Mitchell’s résumé was already stronger where it counted.
He had a standout three-year run at UC Santa Barbara, capped by a junior season in which he averaged 20 points, 4 rebounds and 4 assists per game. Johnson, meanwhile, had only one season in Australia’s NBL, where he averaged 2.9 points, 1.3 rebounds and 0.7 assists per game.
Milwaukee bet on projection. Mitchell had already shown more production.
Johnson has not turned into the answer, either. He has now been on 5 different teams in just 2 years since being drafted, and his NBA career has yet to get steady footing.
Mitchell, on the other hand, is trending the other way. He just finished a breakout season with 14 points per game off the bench and proved to be one of Oklahoma City’s best shot creators while injuries piled up. The Bucks would love to have that blend of calm, touch and upside in their backcourt, but they let it slip by.
Mitchell said he would have welcomed the chance to land in Milwaukee, helped by both the draft position and his family ties in Wisconsin. Instead, he wound up with an instant title contender and now looks like a useful piece for a Thunder team built to last. Milwaukee, meanwhile, is left with regret and Kuzma.
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Tyler Herro and Jaime Jaquez Jr. have been the most visible parts of that return haul, but Kasparas Jakucionis and Kel'el Ware have also flashed in bigger roles as the Bucks search for useful depth. Nate Ament, another piece from the Heat package, has started to see the court too, giving Milwaukee more chances to evaluate how much long-term value this trade might still yield. [Read more 🡒]
Bucks Loss Exposed A Problem Fans Have Been Dreading
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For Milwaukee, the concern goes beyond one defeat in a crowded season. A night like this can expose how hard it becomes to keep up when the offense stalls and the opponent keeps answering every push, especially against a team on a roll. The Bucks now have another example of the issue fans have been bracing for, even if the broader answer to it is still waiting to be found. [Read more 🡒]
Lakers Passed On A Dalton Knecht Deal For One Frustrating Reason
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But the talks never got to the finish line because the sides could not agree on draft-pick compensation, leaving the framework of the deal stuck in place. Rather than meet Milwaukees asking price for Sims, the Lakers opted to release Knecht instead, a reminder that even straightforward roster housekeeping can turn into a stall when one extra asset becomes the sticking point. [Read more 🡒]