[1] In the off-season, the Bucks acquired All-Star guard Terrell Brandon and Tyrone Hill from the Cleveland Cavaliers in a three-team trade.
[2][3][4][5][6] The team also selected Danny Fortson from the University of Cincinnati with the tenth overall pick in the 1997 NBA draft, but soon traded him to the Denver Nuggets in exchange for Ervin Johnson,[7][8][9][10][11] signed free agent Michael Curry,[12][13][14] and re-signed former Bucks star and sixth man Ricky Pierce in December.
[15][16][17][18] After an 11–8 start to the regular season, the Bucks slipped under .500, but then posted a six-game winning streak between January and February, and held a 24–23 record at the All-Star break.
[27][28][29] The Bucks finished in seventh place in the Central Division with a 36–46 record, missing the playoffs in seven consecutive seasons.
[32][33] Following the season, Pierce retired after playing in his second stint with the Bucks,[34] while Andrew Lang signed as a free agent with the Chicago Bulls,[35][36] and head coach Chris Ford was fired after coaching the Bucks for two seasons.