The Milwaukee Bucks are reportedly looking to shore up their depth in the backcourt in the coming days, and they have a pair of specific targets in mind.
Their recent trade with the Houston Rockets involving defensive ace P.J. Tucker has left the Bucks without a backup point guard on the roster. D.J. Augustin, who previously filled this role, was sent to Houston after a short 37 game stint with Milwaukee, where he could never genuinely find his footing with the team.
More from Bucks News
- Bucks 2023-24 player profile: Can MarJon Beauchamp take a leap?
- Piecing together the Milwaukee Bucks’ dream starting 5 in 5 years
- Predicting Thanasis Antetokounmpo’s 2023-24 stats for the Bucks
- Grade the trade: Bucks land reputable backup guard in swap with Pacers
- New workout video should have Milwaukee Bucks fans excited
Now, the Bucks have been without a floor general in the second unit for the previous three games. Despite Milwaukee tacking on three wins to their ongoing seven-game winning streak in that span, they will almost certainly add a guard in the next few days.
With the March 25 trade deadline closing in and the buyout market soon to be busy, the Bucks do have a variety of options to take here to fill their vacancy.
Adding that piece off the bench will be a crucial next step for the Bucks, and it appears they are actively working on filling it with a pair of rumored targets. With that being said, here is which of the two would be a better fit for Milwaukee this season.
A case for the Milwaukee Bucks to target Austin Rivers
The latest name to pop up in the rumor mill for the Bucks is 28-year-old Austin Rivers.
Rivers has been having a solid start to the season with the New York Knicks but found himself exiled from the rotation after the team traded for Derrick Rose in early February. Logging just five minutes of action since the move and having not played a game since February 13, it seems clear that they will likely move on from him sooner rather than later.
That is where the Bucks come into play. ESPN’s Zach Lowe ($$) reported in his rumor round piece Monday morning that if the Knicks could not find a trade suitor for the guard before March 25, they would likely allow him to hit the open market by buying him out. Lowe adds that the Bucks are looking to bring in talent at the guard position, and kicking the tires on Rivers is something he expects the team will do.
In 21 appearances with New York this season, Rivers has averaged 7.3 points on .430/.364/.714 shooting splits, 2.2 rebounds, and two assists per game. While Rivers is more of a score-first combo guard rather than the traditional point guard the Bucks are seeking, he still fits the billing for their needs to add depth in the backcourt.
The journeyman guard would by no means push Milwaukee over the edge in the current Eastern Conference arms race, but he would be a solid rotational piece for them.