Milwaukee Bucks Rumors: Thon Maker was offered for Rodney Hood

Prior to Rodney Hood’s recent trade to the Portland Trail Blazers, the Milwaukee Bucks reportedly offered the Cleveland Cavaliers Thon Maker in exchange for the former Duke Blue Devil.

As the wait continues to see if the Milwaukee Bucks make a move ahead of Thursday’s NBA trade deadline, Thon Maker remains the focus of much of the franchise’s potential activity.

With a settled roster and rotation, and impressive success so far this season, major moves may not be all that likely for the Bucks. In Maker, a player who has shared his desire to move to another team that can offer him extended playing time, the Bucks do at least have the motivation to make a deal, though.

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Maker’s trade request was first reported over a week ago, meaning the Bucks have already had some time to explore potential deals.

According to The New York Times’ Marc Stein, one of the players who piqued the Bucks’ interest in said talks was Rodney Hood.

Writing in his newsletter, Stein suggested the Bucks had held discussions with the Cavaliers over a deal centered on the 26-year-old swingman and Maker, prior to Cleveland reaching a deal with the Portland Trail Blazers:

"“The Bucks and Maker’s camp are actively working to find a new home for 2016’s No. 10 overall draft pick. One example: Word is Milwaukee tried to use Maker in an attempt to acquire Rodney Hood from Cleveland but were foiled when Portland put together a trade for Hood on Sunday.”"

Of course, that Portland deal was completed on Monday with Nik Stauskas and Wade Baldwin traded to Cleveland along with Portland’s second round picks in 2021 and 2023.

Hood is a useful player who could certainly have further strengthened Milwaukee’s wing options coming off the bench, but considering the Bucks’ current situation in terms of future draft picks, giving over such assets would have been ill-advised and likely unappealing for Jon Horst and the Bucks’ front office brain trust.

If Milwaukee remains interested in adding a rotational wing, a Maker trade could still create an avenue for them to do that at the trade deadline, or when the buyout market opens up.

Of course, with reports of Milwaukee’s interest in adding to their frontcourt too, anything remains a possibility over the next 48 hours.