Milwaukee Bucks should explore Kyle Korver trade possibilities

With the Cleveland Cavaliers reportedly open to trade talks, the Milwaukee Bucks should be looking to explore a deal for veteran sharpshooter Kyle Korver.

Major free agency dealings are essentially all wrapped up for teams around the NBA, but that doesn’t mean player movement has already come to a close prior to the start of the new season.

The next couple of months could yet prove to be a busy time for trades, and if the Milwaukee Bucks hope to find ways to further improve their roster between now and opening night, that’s a route they may end up exploring too.

Trades for the Bucks could take many forms. Milwaukee certainly has motivation to find a market for some of their role players on heftier contracts in an attempt to shed salary, but the home run play remains to find a way to do that that while also adding a useful contributor.

More from Bucks News

The cost of moving one of those contracts would almost certainly be a first round pick, which means finding a team looking to rebuild that could do with adding future assets may create an opportunity to add a talented player while also moving off a bad contract.

The Cleveland Cavaliers are one of the more obvious example of a team that fits that bill, and they may be uniquely suited as a potential trade partner for the Bucks.

On Thursday night, a report emerged from Keith Pompey of the Philly Inquirer suggesting the Philadelphia 76ers have discussed a potential deal centered around sending former Buck Jerryd Bayless to the Cavs in exchange for three-point specialist Kyle Korver.

"“According to a league source, the team has had discussions about trading Jerryd Bayless to the Cleveland Cavaliers for Kyle Korver.That move would enable the Sixers to bring back a fan favorite who’s one of the league’s top three-point shooters.”"

For those discussions to advance, it’s guaranteed that Philadelphia would have to delve deeper into their considerable war chest of draft assets.

Bayless has struggled with injuries since leaving Milwaukee, and with the combination of Ben Simmons‘ play style and depth in more traditional guards like Markelle Fultz, T.J. McConnell and now Landry Shamet, there’s no clear path to minutes for the 29-year-old moving forward either.

Bayless’ contract is not the most palatable, though, even as it will be an expiring deal over the course of the upcoming season. Bayless is owed $8.6 million next year, which begs the question, if the Cavaliers do prove to be interested in taking back a deal in that range for Korver, could they be persuaded into taking a deal which carries an extra year?

It may be a tough ask, particularly in bidding against the Sixers, but it’s an option the Bucks should at least force them into considering.

Matthew Dellavedova could take on the Bayless’ role in an equivalent Bucks’ offer, and in spite of coming in at an extra year in terms of contract, the Aussie’s return to Cleveland would have a different kind of appeal due to his status as a fan favorite.

Having recently brought back Channing Frye in free agency, it seems like that’s an approach the Cavs aren’t necessarily opposed to. Cleveland has yet to commit to a full rebuild following LeBron James‘ departure, and will likely aim to be a playoff caliber team next season at least.

The summer of 2019 could see Kevin Love leave in free agency, and the majority of Cleveland’s current deals are then scheduled to come off the books in 2020 — at the same time Dellavedova will next hit free agency.

Currently, the Cavs are short on backcourt depth with only George Hill and rookie Collin Sexton at point guard, and J.R. Smith and Jordan Clarkson at shooting guard. As a result, Dellavedova could actually help them in that regard.

For the Bucks, adding one of the greatest shooters in NBA history would obviously be a major positive, and a possible game changer to the team’s offensive options. Of course, Korver’s most successful spell of his career came in Atlanta under the guidance of new Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer too.

The challenge for the Bucks would be how they’d structure a deal that would almost certainly have to include a first round pick. The protections on the first round pick sent to Phoenix in exchange for Eric Bledsoe mean that any trade of a pick would have to be conditional, with a pick likely conveying in 2021 or 2022.

To be clear, if the Sixers really want Korver, they have the assets to offer a much more appealing package than the Bucks, but it doesn’t mean Milwaukee shouldn’t at least put themselves in the mix. Options to offload salary and add quality players are few and far between in the NBA, but the Bucks should be actively searching for them at all times.

If the Bucks are going to have to part with a draft pick to get off bad salary, why not try to do so in a deal that also returns a useful player?

Next: Win in 6 Podcast #236: Wrapping up Summer League action

A Korver package could achieve that, while significantly improving Milwaukee and also hurting their playoff rivals. If I was Jon Horst, I’d be calling Koby Altman as we speak.

Home/Bucks News