As the Milwaukee Bucks prepare to start the 2025-26 season, they just made a move that should raise alarm bells. The Bucks opted to waive their former first-round pick Tyler Smith ahead of the season.
With Tyler Smith getting waived, the Bucks have now gone 11 straight draft classes without signing one of their own picks to a second contract…
The last Bucks draft pick to receive a second contract was Giannis 🤯 pic.twitter.com/dWZJ6JjFgb
— Bucks Lead (@BucksLead) October 19, 2025
That marks the 11th straight season that Milwaukee has opted not to sign a former first-round pick to a second contract. It might not seem like a big deal, but it proves that Milwaukee has struggled to draft good young players during the Giannis Antetokounmpo era.
The Bucks have desperately tried to keep Giannis happy. And while them waiving Smith isn’t likely to infuriate him, the larger trend should concern him.
After all, a small-market team that struggles to draft is at a huge competitive disadvantage. It also may be the reason why the Bucks have struggled in recent seasons, with them having three straight first-round playoff exits.
The Milwaukee Bucks’ failure to draft is holding them back
The Bucks’ failure to make the most of their draft picks has put them at a competitive disadvantage. Milwaukee mostly drafted in the late 20s during most of that era—when they actually had a first-round pick to use—but they have completely whiffed on several of the first-round selections.
Doing so has left them with few young players to develop. There are plenty of ways to find young talent. One being the Miami Heat’s way of finding undrafted players by having them work their way up through the NBA G League.
Meanwhile, the San Antonio Spurs build a dynasty by having draft success. They found Hall of Famers Tony Parker with the 28th pick in the 2001 NBA Draft and Manu Ginobili with the57th in the 2002 NBA Draft.
The Bucks must do a better job adding young talent around Giannis
Parker and Ginobili helped Tim Duncan win three more championships and make another NBA Finals. With Giannis often being compared to Duncan, Duncan had a far superior supporting cast thanks to the Spurs drafting well.
Had the Bucks had similar draft or undrafted free agency success, Giannis probably would have won a second championship by now. Instead, they are only the third or fourth best team in a weak Eastern Conference. That could weigh on Giannis’ decision whether to stay or demand a trade.
Ultimately, the Bucks waiving Smith is just the latest example of the team failing to draft well. It may not affect Giannis’ decision to demand a trade, but the overall effect limits the Bucks’ ceiling and their chances of keeping him.
