The Milwaukee Bucks are reportedly interested in All-Star guard Victor Oladipo, but they could face some competition in the event that he will be dealt this offseason.
By all accounts, the Milwaukee Bucks are in the middle of the potential Victor Oladipo sweepstakes this offseason.
ESPN’s Zach Lowe reported late last week that the Bucks have their eye on Oladipo for a potential deal with the Indiana Pacers, though Lowe also noted that no talks of any significance have taken place yet between both parties.
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Speculation between the Bucks and Oladipo have certainly grown in recent weeks and Lowe’s reporting has reinforced the fact that the Bucks could be major players for Oladipo once the league lifts their transaction moratorium at the end of the week.
While the Bucks’ desire for a backcourt upgrade may lead them down the path of vying for Oladipo, there are plenty of hurdles that remain.
For one, Oladipo’s long-term health and durability is a big question as he heads into the final year of his current contract, which will be an expiring $21 million salary. As he struggles to recapture his All-NBA form from a couple of years ago after suffering a ruptured quad tendon, the question of whether he’ll be the same player again are very much legitimate.
Secondly, there’s the matter of the limited assets and pieces the Bucks have to part with in a potential deal for Oladipo that would suit the Pacers’ needs just as Lowe noted in his aforementioned offseason preview:
"“The broader issue is what Milwaukee can offer for Oladipo (or Jrue Holiday) — something like Eric Bledsoe, Donte DiVincenzo, filler salary, and an extra first-round pick (or two) that will be low if Antetokounmpo stays. Bledsoe’s trade value has cratered. The Pacers are probably not in any hurry to reunite the Malcolm Brogdon/Bledsoe backcourt; would Milwaukee have to find a three-team deal sending Bledsoe elsewhere?”"
Clearly, the Bucks see an opportunity to strike on a player whose value has taken a hit for the reasons listed above. With that said, the Pacers might not have the willingness to deal away a central figure in their foundation and certainly not for the depleted assets the Bucks have.
That’s where the other potential suitors for Oladipo loom large in this discussion and we’ll break down the competition the Milwaukee Bucks could face in trying to land Victor Oladipo.