Pros of an all-in deal
Milwaukee has a lot of flexibility with their roster, as it’s constructed right now, to compete for a championship. However, there are some potential problem areas that continue to persist on this roster that COULD become significant weaknesses to be exploited in the playoffs.
Whether that’s concerns about Eric Bledsoe’s post-season play, the inconsistent shooting performances from their guards (and from the team from three overall), a lack of guard-depth, or a dearth of shot-creators who can get to the rim or create in the half-court, all of these areas could be shored up by the right move or moves.
Making an “all-in” trade could be a way for the Bucks to address one, or several of these potential shortcomings.
For example, the aforementioned hypothetical trade proposed by Brian Sampson, which would see Milwaukee land Bogdan Bogdanovic and Nemanja Bjelica from the Sacramento Kings, could help the team improve the quality of their three-point shooting, both at guard and overall. That could make Milwaukee an even more formidable team than they are right now.
Another potential upside of making such a move is that could it weaken the ability of their rivals to improve. For example, the Los Angeles Lakers have allegedly expressed interest in Bogdanovic. Getting him wouldn’t just improve the Bucks (possibly), but it would keep an impact player out of the hands of a team they could face in the Finals. That’s a win-win right?
Let’s take a look at the other side of the coin before jumping to that conclusion.