MILWAUKEE— The NBA Draft will be held Thursday night. The Milwaukee Bucks currently hold the 24th pick in the first round. Recent history has told us the Bucks may trade the pick.

The Bucks have dealt their first round choice each of the last three years. Go back to Donte DiVincenzo in 2018 to find the last time the Bucks kept their first round selection.

Jon Horst, Bucks general manager, has shown he views the draft as a tool, not the end-all.

“Continue to look for ways to get better with the group that we have,” said Horst. “Figure out ways to get better and improve the group. My priority is keep pushing guys to figure out ways to get better. What are the options? What are the things that we can do? What are the things that no one else is thinking about? That’s the goal to keep doing that. Hopefully, by the time we open up to start the ’22-23 season we will feel like we got better.”

Johnny Davis from La Crosse and the University of Wisconsin could be a lottery pick. Patrick Baldwin Jr. from Sussex Hamilton and UW-Milwaukee could be selected late in the first round.

Among other players with state ties, Marquette’s Justin Lewis and Milwaukee native Michael Foster could be taken in the second round.