Bucks select R.J. Hampton at No. 24, but may be trading him

Updated Nov. 18, 2020 11:50 p.m. ET

Associated Press

MILWAUKEE (AP) — The Milwaukee Bucks selected guard R.J. Hampton with the 24th overall pick in the NBA draft Wednesday night, though they may not be keeping him for very long.

The Bucks were expected to send the 24th selection to the New Orleans Pelicans as part of a package of picks included in a deal

The Bucks added Louisville forward Jordan Nwora in the second round with the 45th overall pick. Nwora averaged 18 points, 7.7 rebounds and 2.5 3-point baskets per game as a junior last season

Milwaukee acquired that pick earlier in the day from the Orlando Magic in exchange for two future second-round selections.

Hampton, 19, opted against playing college basketball and instead headed to Australia to play for the National Basketball League's New Zealand Breakers. The 6-foot-5 point guard

Milwaukee is trying to upgrade its roster as it prepares to offer

The Bucks have posted the NBA’s best regular-season record each of the last two years, but they lost to Miami in the second round of the playoffs last season after blowing a 2-0 lead to Toronto in the 2019 Eastern Conference finals.

Antetokounmpo met with team officials after the Bucks’ most recent playoff exit to discuss the team’s future.

“Obviously I would like to keep that conversation I’m having with the ownership and my coach and general manager private, but at the end of the day, every team’s got to improve,” Antetokounmpo said during a September Zoom session to announce his selection as MVP. "If you did not win the whole thing, you’ve got to get better. If you win the whole thing, you’ve got to get better and do it again. So for now, our team’s got to get better. I think we have great talent.”

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