Milwaukee Bucks: The pros and cons of pursuing trade target P.J. Tucker

Milwaukee Bucks: The cons of pursuing trade target P.J. Tucker

The list here is rather finite, as Tucker is a solid trade target for the Bucks in the grand scheme of things. He brings size, defensive expertise, battle-tested experience, and several other compelling characteristics to help this team in their title chase.

However, one area that could be problematic is Tucker’s substandard offense this season. He is averaging just 4.7 points per game while shooting 37.5 percent from the floor and 32.9 percent from behind the arc. Those are in the ballpark for the worst numbers of his career, and that is not ideal for a Milwaukee team that has been thriving off their offense this season.

Another issue that comes with pursuing the veteran is the degree of difficulty that piecing together a potential trade package for him would be.

Tucker is on the books for $7.96 million this season, and that puts the Bucks in a tough spot financially trying to match salaries. Another aspect that makes a deal more difficult for Milwaukee is Houston’s reported asking price in return for Tucker. As Wojnarowski reports:

"“One thing I’m told is that Houston wants back not picks, but a player they can plug back into their lineup.”"

For the Bucks, matching salaries and giving the Rockets a suitable player in return would almost guarantee parting ways with Brook Lopez, D.J. Augustin, or Pat Connaughton, who all make over $5 million annually. However, it seems unlikely that the Rockets would be open to taking on any of these three considering they have multiple years and left on their current contracts.

Nevertheless, Milwaukee’s general manager Jon Horst has shown that he will remain aggressive when pursuing trades throughout the years, no matter how difficult. The former Executive of the Year winner has made several splashes on the trade market in recent memory, and bringing in Tucker could potentially end up being his next move.

If the Bucks can work out the financial difficulties in a deal for Tucker, this would be an impactful addition for them ahead of the trade deadline.