[1] In the 1996 NBA draft, the Bucks selected point guard Stephon Marbury out of Georgia Tech University with the fourth overall pick, but soon traded him to the Minnesota Timberwolves in exchange for top draft pick shooting guard Ray Allen from the University of Connecticut.
[11][12][13] Under new head coach Chris Ford,[14][15] along with the new trio of Allen, Vin Baker and Glenn Robinson, the Bucks appeared to be on their way breaking out of the gate with a 15–11 start.
However, they could not maintain that momentum as they slipped under .500, holding a 21–26 record at the All-Star break.
[16] At mid-season, the team traded second-year guard Shawn Respert to the Toronto Raptors in exchange for Acie Earl.
[17][18][19] The Bucks lost eight straight games between February and March, missing the playoffs for the sixth consecutive year, by finishing in seventh place in the Central Division with a 33–49 record.