The 2023–24 Milwaukee Bucks season was the 56th season for the franchise in the National Basketball Association (NBA). On May 4, 2023, the Bucks fired head coach Mike Budenholzer after five seasons with the team, including winning the 2021 NBA Finals as head coach, after a disappointing first round exit last season to the eight–seeded and eventual Eastern Conference champion Miami Heat.[1] On June 5, 2023, the Bucks hired Adrian Griffin as their head coach.[2] On September 27, 2023, 7-time NBA All-Star point guard Damian Lillard was traded to Milwaukee as part of a three-team trade that sent Jrue Holiday, Deandre Ayton, Toumani Camara, and a 2029 first-round draft pick to the Portland Trail Blazers, and Grayson Allen, Jusuf Nurkić, Nassir Little, and Keon Johnson to the Phoenix Suns.
On January 23, 2024, the Bucks dismissed head coach Adrian Griffin from his position despite having the second-best record in both the Eastern Conference and the NBA at the time with a 30–13 record.[3] Three days later, Doc Rivers was hired as the Bucks' head coach.[4]
On April 7, 2024, despite Milwaukee losing to the New York Knicks 122–109, the Bucks clinched their eighth straight playoff berth following the Miami Heat losing to the Indiana Pacers and the Orlando Magic defeating the Chicago Bulls. However, Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo suffered a calf injury at the end of the season, causing him to miss the first round matchup against the Pacers in the playoffs. Lillard also missed postseason games due to injury, leaving the short-handed Bucks to be eliminated by the Pacers in six games, suffering a first round upset for the second straight year.
The Bucks entered this draft with a second-round pick.[5]
This was the first regular season where all the NBA teams competed in a mid-season tournament setting due to the implementation of the 2023 NBA In-Season Tournament.[6][7] During the in-season tournament period, the Bucks competed in Group B of the Eastern Conference, which included the New York Knicks, Miami Heat, Washington Wizards, and Charlotte Hornets. The Bucks compiled a 4-0 record in the qualifying stage and earned the 1 seed through a higher point differential than the Pacers. After beating the Knicks 146-122 in the quarterfinals, the Bucks saw their in season tournament hopes dashed in an 128-119 loss to the Pacers.