Regardless of sport, the draft is a crapshoot. Seemingly sure-fire prospects don't pan out and diamonds in the rough emerge. It's the most important aspect of roster building. Veteran acquisitions are, generally, meant to augment, not create a team's foundation.
Even when a franchise strikes a deal for a star who helps bring them a championship, like the Los Angeles Lakers did when they acquired Anthony Davis, they did so with a combination of draft capital and promising homegrown players, like Brandon Ingram and Lonzo Ball.
While the Milwaukee Bucks lifted the Larry O'Brien Trophy in 2021, struggles in the draft have hurt their ability to elevate an aging core.