The Victor Oladipo rumors surrounding the Milwaukee Bucks have been a trending topic recently, but what are the risks in trading for the guard?
Since their season ended last month, the Milwaukee Bucks’ desire to upgrade their roster has been well-documented to this point and the list of potential candidates seemingly grows by the day.
The latest name to get thrown into the mix is arguably the riskiest, with that being Victor Oladipo of the Indiana Pacers.
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In the latest episode of ‘The Lowe Post’ with The Ringer’s Bill Simmons, Zach Lowe of ESPN dropped some head turning comments on the Oladipo trade rumors looming over Indiana:
"“I’ll give you a team I’m keeping my eye on with Victor Oladipo: Milwaukee. Just keeping my eye on them.”"
There is no official interest between Oladipo and the Bucks just yet, however, as these comments came as a brainstorming exercise as to how contending teams can get better. For Milwaukee, this is a move that has all the potential in the world to succeed and backfire just as much.
The Bucks will unquestionably look to upgrade their backcourt this offseason, and Oladipo is an interesting case. With his future as a member of the Indiana Pacers a hot topic of discussion lately, it would not be surprising if Milwaukee was keeping an eye on the situation.
With trade season heating up in the NBA, this rumor will undoubtedly come up more down the road. Previously covering three reasons why the Bucks should pursue Oladipo, here are three of the biggest risks in potentially pursuing the two-time All-Star.
Milwaukee Bucks: 3 biggest risks in a Victor Oladipo trade – Betting on Oladipo’s health
For the Bucks and any other team that might be monitoring Victor Oladipo’s situation with the Pacers, health is among the most prominent concerns.
Oladipo has spent a majority of the past two seasons spectating from the sidelines after rupturing his right quad tendon in January of 2019. The guard played just 36 games that season, and significant question marks were surrounding his NBA future after suffering such an injury.
Dr. Rodney Bennner, a knee specialist and orthopedic surgeon at the Shelborne Knee Center in Indianapolis, and Purdue University’s team orthopedic surgeon discussed the magnitude of such an injury in an interview with CBS Sports’ Brad Botkin last January:
"When I initially saw the injury, I started thinking about the potential bad injuries that happen like a patellar dislocation, an ACL injury, a quadriceps or a patellar rupture, even a patellar fracture — actually breaking the kneecap. And of all those things, unfortunately the quadriceps tendon rupture (which is what Oladipo suffered) is the injury I would least like an athlete to have."
Oladipo returned to the court on January 29 earlier this year and utlimately appeared in 19 regular season games and all four of Indiana’s playoff games in the first round. There was undoubtedly some rust with Oladipo after such a long layoff and even Oladipo himself would admit that he is not yet back to full strength.
After such a horrific injury and small sample size to assess his status over a year later, any team that has their eye on Victor Oladipo will certainly have to be cautious regarding his health moving forward.
Milwaukee Bucks: 3 biggest risks in a Victor Oladipo trade – Oladipo’s contract situation
The issue with Oladipo’s current contract situation for a team like the Bucks is not absorbing it. In fact, compared to other names Milwaukee has been linked to, such as Chris Paul, Oladipo’s $21 million paycheck for next season is relatively easy to take on.
The predicament revolves around that Oladipo could be a one-year rental for any team trying to trade for him. An anonymous executive recently told Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report that Oladipo is looking for a max deal, no matter where he plays next season. With Oladipo’s long-term health very much a major question after coming off such a devastating injury, teams should unquestionably be hesitant to give up a haul of assets for a player who will be seeking a max-deal either this offseason or next.
For a team like the Bucks, swinging a trade for Oladipo would be the ultimate all-in move for a title run in 2020-21. With some uncertainty already surrounding their own superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo’s contract, this would add some more unpredictability moving forward as next season is shaping up to be championship or bust.
Of course, the risk here could also prove positive. Heading into a contract year after playing just 19 games the season prior, Oladipo is going to want to prove that he is deserving of the max deal he desires. To do that, he would have to get back to his pre-injury form or close to it, which is also in question.
Milwaukee Bucks: 3 biggest risks in a Victor Oladipo trade – Hoping Oladipo can return to All-Star form
The $21 million question surrounding Victor Oladipo heading into the offseason is whether or not he can regain his pre-injury form if he can get healthy.
In the 2017-18 NBA season, Oladipo’s last full season before the catastrophic injury, he asserted himself as the Pacers’ leading star that year with the increased opportunity. Over his 75 appearances that year, he averaged 23.1 points on .477/.371/.799 shooting splits, 5.2 rebounds, 4.3 assists, and 2.4 steals per game.
That production led to him earning such accolades an All-NBA third team selection, being named an All-Star, an All-Defensive first team selection and being named that season’s Most Improved Player. The 28-year-old had asserted himself as one of the best two-way guards in the league and hitting that ceiling again is a very tough proposition, all of which stem from his injury concerns.
In the past two seasons, Oladipo has played in 55 games and averaged 17.3 points on .415/.334/.755 shooting splits, 5.0 rebounds, 4.4 assists, and 1.4 steals per game. The injury accounts for much of that regressed production. But even in the 36 games that he played in 2018-19 before the injury, the guard’s numbers and efficiency took a significant dip compared to the previous year.
Now, teams such as the Milwaukee Bucks have to contemplate whether they believe Victor Oladipo can return to that 2017-18 form or not. It is not an easy decision by any means, which is why it is the biggest risk for any team looking to land him.