The Milwaukee Bucks will look very different in the coming days following an eventful turn of events Wednesday night.
Just minutes before tip-off in tonight’s game against the Philadelphia 76ers, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported that the Bucks had acquired P.J. Tucker from the Houston Rockets in a package centered around D.J. Wilson and D.J. Augustin. You can read the full details of the trade here.
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Shipping Augustin out leaves Milwaukee without a true backup point guard on the roster at the time of this writing, but that could soon change if they plan to take an aggressive approach to fill out the holes in their roster.
According to reports, the Bucks could already be looking at a former MVP candidate to fill their new opening at the backup point guard slot.
The Milwaukee Bucks are reportedly showing interest in free agent point guard Isaiah Thomas.
First reported by The Athletic’s Jon Krawczynski, the Bucks and Lakers are the teams that could be willing to sign the free agent Isaiah Thomas to fill out their depth in the backcourt.
Hearing the Lakers and the Bucks are among the teams to watch if/when IT gets another shot in the league. https://t.co/X2wueyfcyq
— Jon Krawczynski (@JonKrawczynski) March 18, 2021
The two-time All-Star has battled extensively with a hip injury that has limited him to just 84 games over the previous three seasons. As a result, Thomas has bounced around from team to team trying to find a stable place to call home, which has not exactly panned out in his favor.
After being waved in February 2020 after being traded to the LA Clippers in his latest NBA stint, the guard underwent surgery to finally repair the injured hip but still went unsigned in the following free agency period.
With no team looking to utilize his services, the former MVP candidate recently elected to play for Team USA basketball, where he assured he is working towards an NBA comeback. Via Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press:
"“My ultimate goal is to play in the NBA as soon as possible,” Thomas, 32, told The Associated Press. “This allows me to compete against other professionals, represent my country at the same time — which is an honor and a privilege — and ultimately show NBA teams that I’m back to myself and I’m 100% healthy. That’s why I chose to come here. When Team USA brought it to me, it was a no-brainer.”"
While he might not be the Isaiah Thomas of old that was averaging 30 points a night, he could still be a worthy option for the Bucks to bring in to bolster their point guard rotation. When last seen, the 32-year-old was putting up serviceable numbers by averaging 12.2 points on .408/.413/.816 shooting splits, 1.4 rebounds, and 3.7 assists per game with the Washington Wizards.
Although Thomas gives the Bucks virtually nothing defensively, he could provide a secondary scoring punch off the bench, something they initially envisioned from Augustin. With Thomas simply seeking another shot in the NBA and assuring that he is now healthy, he could be a low-risk, high-reward option for cheap following their latest set of roster moves.
Only time will tell what the Milwaukee Bucks have up their sleeve, but do not be surprised if they take a flyer on Isaiah Thomas.