If the Milwaukee Bucks trade Giannis Antetokounmpo, then the New Orleans Pelicans' 2026 and 2027 pick swaps will instantly become two of the most valuable assets in the NBA. New Orleans reserves the right to take the more favorable of the picks between theirs and Milwaukee's in each of those years, and an Antetokounmpo trade would devastate the Bucks in the short-term.
Milwaukee should be able to add enough assets to create a brighter future, but those short-term losses would likely result in New Orleans landing two consecutive lottery picks.
In the modern NBA, draft capital is one of the most valuable resources a front office can operate with. Whether teams are adding cost-effective players to fill out their rotation, prioritizing the development of franchise cornerstones, or maneuvering for trades, first-round picks are essential.
Thankfully, New Orleans is in line to have two consecutive pick swaps from Milwaukee that could realistically translate to top-four picks.
The lottery is admittedly unpredictable, but Joe Dumars and the Pelicans could alter the trajectory of the organization with the Bucks' selections. Options will border on endless with those resources in tow, and the process of building either for or beyond the Zion Williamson era will become instantly more manageable.
This possibility would be rendered null and void if the Bucks choose not to trade Antetokounmpo, but Dumars is a blockbuster move away from wielding two potentially invaluable assets.
Pelicans can swap first-round picks with Bucks in 2026, 2027
The options at New Orleans' disposal are abundant, which is the primary reason the picks are so valuable. No matter how the team opts to proceed, the opportunity will exist to make drastic and meaningful changes and improvements.
The includes Milwaukee's reported interest in re-acquiring at least one of the pick swaps in a potential Antetokounmpo trade.
Under that set of circumstances, New Orleans would have profound leverage as the third team in a deal that would send Antetokounmpo to an interested buyer. It could negotiate the best possible outcome for itself, including potentially shedding Dejounte Murray's remaining salary.
Even if the Pelicans decline that opportunity, there will still be a surplus of paths toward improvement as rival executives likely attempt to poach an Antetokounmpo-less pick swap with the Bucks.
Under that set of circumstances, New Orleans could include one or both pick swaps in a move for an All-Star or even All-NBA player. That could either aid in the attempts to improve the outlook of the Williamson era or enable the franchise to move on from it.
If that proves less desirable a path than Dumars would prefer it to be, then prioritizing a potential top-four pick would be tough to scoff at.
Organizations that trade superstars typically struggle the following season, and Milwaukee isn't exactly in a position to win now without Antetokounmpo. The return in a potential trade could change that narrative, but with Damian Lillard likely to miss a large part of the 2025-26 season after rupturing his Achilles tendon, an already thin roster is going to find it tough to consistently win games.
With an opportunity to potentially capitalize on high lottery odds in consecutive drafts, the Pelicans will have two of the most valuable assets in the NBA—either in a trade or at the annual selection process.