NBA draft: One big question facing every lottery team's offseason

A year ago, the Indiana Pacers and Milwaukee Bucks were preparing for the playoffs.

This season, after roster turnover and injuries to All-Stars Tyrese Haliburton and Giannis Antetokounmpo derailed their chances, Indiana and Milwaukee will join the group of teams that begins the 2026 offseason on April 12.

The next step for the Pacers, Bucks and eight other lottery-bound teams is the arduous process of draft preparation, free agency discussions and trade market evaluation. (Or, in the case of Milwaukee, a franchise-altering decision on Antetokounmpo's future.)