Capture the Flagg: The Bucks are accidentally tanking with absolutely nothing to gain from it

The Milwaukee Bucks have no business being as bad as they are.

They have two all-time great players on their roster -- one a former league MVP -- and a decent enough supporting cast that you would think they could at least beat teams like the Chicago Bulls and Brooklyn Nets. Instead, the Bucks can count losses to those teams among the five straight they've suffered going into Monday's game against the Cavaliers.

If it wasn't for those two greats, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard, the Bucks would almost be a prime tank candidate considering their No. 26 net rating to go alongside the 1-5 record. They haven't even been a little good. The only problem is the Bucks have nothing to tank for. They don't own their first-round pick in next summer's draft.

If the Bucks somehow find a way to finish the season as a lottery team, and their ping pong ball lands a top-four draft pick, it would go to the New Orleans Pelicans. Any pick between five and 30 would go to the Brooklyn Nets.

In other words, Doc Rivers better figure something out. Barring a trade for draft compensation, a shot at Cooper Flagg doesn't await the Bucks for being this bad.

Now, let's get into the latest on Flagg and the teams that actually do have a shot at landing the talented Duke prospect.

Hangin' with Mr. Cooper

The latest updates on Cooper Flagg.

It's been quiet on the Flagg front the last week since Duke's final exhibition game last Sunday. But that's about to change.

Duke opens the season Monday night against Maine, and it's a big deal as not only Flagg's college debut but also a game against the biggest university in his home state. The folks back home in Newport are absolutely thrilled, as the Portland Press Herald wrote Saturday:

That's a lot of pressure. Hopefully Flagg can put on show in his first game.

Tank Ranking

A ranking of the NBA's best tanks.

1. Utah Jazz (0-6)

If you think Utah and Cooper Flagg are a match made in heaven, the Jazz seem to agree. Their losing streak to start the season is up to six straight games, leaving Utah as the last winless team in the association. The devastating and unfortunate injury to Taylor Hendricks only helps their cause.

2. Toronto Raptors (2-5)

The Raptors were so close to an 0-4 week, doing their best to blow Saturday's game against the Kings. Unfortunately, they pulled it out in OT for their second win of the season.

Because the win over Sacramento came the same night Toronto retired Vince Carter's jersey, we'll let it slide. Other than that, the Raptors are doing a fantastic tank. Going up by 15 on the Nuggets before losing in overtime was *chef's kiss*.

3. Detroit Pistons (2-5)

The Pistons beat the Nets Sunday, which isn't the most impressive win, so we won't hold that against them too much. But with it being their second win in three games, they might want to pump the brakes a little. They beat the 76ers Wednesday in Tobias Harris' return to Philadelphia.

4. Portland Trail Blazers (2-5)

Portland would rank a little higher but the Blazers played a tough slate this week, so their 1-3 record wasn't completely unexpected.

5. Washington Wizards (2-3)

Two wins in a single week simply won't cut it for the Wizards. That both wins came over the Hawks, who might have been on this list if they actually had a first-round pick to tank for, does make you feel a little better about Washington's ability to get back on a tank track, though.

Most Fan[tank]stic Moment

The Brooklyn Nets got an assist from the local community for Sunday's game against the Pistons, and they still lost.

Because the 2024 New York City Marathon was taking place Sunday, the visiting Pistons were forced to take the Subway to Barclays Center. The Nets, who hadn't played on the road since Wednesday, obviously weren't nearly as inconvenienced but still managed to lose 106-92.

This is too good. And with the Pistons among our biggest tankers, the train ride likely would have made this list even if Detroit lost.

For the Nets, the loss snapped a two-game winning streak and dropped them back below .500 at 3-4. That's good momentum going into a big tank week.

Half-Staff: Washington Wizards

A quick glance at a team not tanking hard enough.

The Wizards came in at No. 5 in our tank rankings only because a pair of victories over the Atlanta Hawks is hardly enough to disqualify a team as being bad. At the same time, a pair of wins over the Hawks in consecutive games is no fluke. That's the exact kind of thing to make you think the Wizards might just be better than the Hawks. And while being better than the Hawks doesn't necessarily make you good, it might mean you aren't bad enough to land top draft odds.

If beating the Hawks doesn't make you question Washington's commitment to the tank, the league's No. 15 net rating over the last seven days will. If their young players keep this up, they won't have a shot at landing Flagg.

Falling out of the Flagg sweepstakes would be incredibly frustrating for fans like myself, enjoying the development of a player like Bilal Coulibaly and the fast starts of the team's three rookies -- Alex Sarr, Bub Carrington and Kyshawn George -- while also knowing just how far the Wizards are from the end of their rebuild. Flagg could potentially be the final piece. If they miss out on him, they could end up stuck in a state of mediocrity fans in D.C. have become all too familiar with over the years.

Thankfully, the Wizards have a few veterans they can ship out if things start getting a little too good.

The Week Ahead

Cooper Flagg games

Monday: Duke vs. Maine

Friday: Duke vs. Army

NBA games (to avoid)

Monday: Jazz at Bulls

Wednesday: Pistons at Hornets

Thursday: Blazers at Spurs

Saturday: Jazz at Spurs

This article originally appeared on For The Win: Capture the Flagg: The Bucks are accidentally tanking with absolutely nothing to gain from it