The Milwaukee Bucks are staring at a rebuild with one hand tied behind their back. After trading Giannis Antetokounmpo, they’re left without their own first-round picks for a long stretch, which changes the job in front of them immediately: collect draft capital wherever they can find it.
That’s why Tyler Herro should be on the table.
Herro is not some throw-in. He was an All-Star in the 2024-25 campaign, and he’s a good player.
But the bigger question is whether he fits the timeline of whatever comes next in Milwaukee. Is there really a path where the Bucks are back in contention before the end of his prime?
Will he be a key piece of the next Bucks playoff team? Probably not.
If that’s the reality, then the smarter move is simple: turn him into picks.
The Bucks have already burned through a huge chunk of their first-round capital trying to build around Antetokounmpo. Some of it went to the New Orleans Pelicans in the Jrue Holiday trade, and more went to the Portland Trail Blazers in the Damian Lillard trade.
That leaves Milwaukee in a tough spot, because tanking doesn’t really help them under the current lottery setup. Their own record won’t change their pick situation.
If anything, a bad season would only benefit the team holding their selection.
So the Bucks should be open to any deal that brings back more draft assets, even if it makes the roster worse in the short term. A Herro trade fits that logic perfectly.
If Milwaukee could get two firsts and a young player, or something in that neighborhood, it would be a major win. The Bucks need youth, and they need volume in the draft. Herro is 26, and he looks more like a secondary or tertiary piece on a strong team than someone who makes sense as part of Milwaukee’s next core.
That’s the bottom line: the Bucks should try to squeeze as many picks as possible out of Herro and use those assets to give themselves more chances to hit in the draft. That’s how they start rebuilding their future.
In Other News...
Bucks Draft Surprise Left One Rival Suddenly Sick To Its Stomach
Milwaukees draft night had a ripple effect far beyond its own room, because the Bucks unexpected move at No. 10 altered the board in a hurry. With the selection of Brayden Burries, the Bucks jumped ahead of a Golden State team that had been eyeing the guard closely and had to adjust on the fly as the clock kept moving.
The Warriors still came away with Yaxel Lendeborg at No. 11, but the bigger story for Milwaukee is how the new draft setup changed the way it could attack the first round. The Giannis Antetokounmpo trade had already given the Bucks another valuable pick at No. 13, and that extra flexibility helped create the opening that led them to Burries before a rival had a chance to react. [Read more 🡒]
Bucks May Be Settling For A Riskier Wing Backup Plan
Milwaukees search for wing help has led it into the restricted free-agent market, where Peyton Watson remains the preferred target but not necessarily the easiest one to land. If Watson stays put in Denver, the Bucks still need a backup plan, and Bennedict Mathurin has emerged as the kind of name that fits the price range and the age curve they tend to value. He brings scoring punch and enough physicality on defense to make him interesting, even if the fit comes with some obvious questions.
Mathurins appeal is tied to upside more than certainty, and that is where the risk comes in for Milwaukee. He has shown he can get hot in big moments, but his offensive efficiency has been a lingering issue, and his overall impact has never quite matched the raw talent. With the market not exactly crowded around him, the Bucks may have a path to act if the other options dry up, but it would be a bet on development as much as immediate help. [Read more 🡒]
Bucks Linked To Surprising Trade That Could Fix Miamis Biggest Need
Miamis offseason checklist has a familiar theme: it needs more shooting, and ESPNs Shams Charania has put that need front and center. Klay Thompson and AJ Green have both been mentioned as possible answers, which makes sense for a Heat team trying to add spacing without overhauling the rest of the roster. From Milwaukees side, Green stands out as the kind of clean-fitting shooter who can help a contender, especially with his existing chemistry alongside Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bobby Portis.
The Bucks also have a practical reason to listen if the right offer materializes. Their backcourt is crowded, and moving Green could open minutes while bringing back assets for a team that is always balancing present value with future flexibility. The catch is that Miamis trade cupboard is not exactly overflowing, so any serious conversation would have to thread a narrow path around what the Heat can actually put on the table. [Read more 🡒]