The Milwaukee Bucks traded guard Sam Merrill and two future second-round picks to the Memphis Grizzlies for shooting guard Grayson Allen on Friday.
This trade pretty much confirms that starting shooting guard Donte DiVincenzo will not be fully recovered from left ankle surgery when the 2021-22 season starts. Of course, DiVincenzo went down in Milwaukee’s first round playoff series against the Miami Heat, missing what would soon become their title-winning run.
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This trade realistically cements Allen as the team’s starting shooting guard to begin the upcoming season. Allen is a solid shooter who also adds depth at the guard position and is an above-average defender.
He has always been a scrappy player who can shoot and has somewhat proven himself in the NBA in his early career. While he will hopefully replace the sweet shooting of Bryn Forbes, he has a much better defensive reputation and is capable of defending both guard spots.
How will the Milwaukee Bucks’ surprising trade for guard Grayson Allen impact Donte DiVincenzo?
Once DiVincenzo is healthy enough to return and play, he will most likely be brought off the bench. He will need to get his timing back and get into playing shape after such a long layoff due to yet another foot injury.
DiVincenzo would have to significantly outplay Allen upon his return in order to win back his starting shooting guard spot. This is not to say that this can’t and won’t happen at some point down the road. However, it seems unlikely considering how head coach Mike Budenholzer typically refrains from switching up the starting lineup when his hand isn’t forced at doing so. By no means is Allen better than DiVincenzo or should he be starting over him under normal circumstances.
DiVencenzo would provide some much-needed solid guard play off the bench if this is what transpires. He will bring energy, hustle, rebounding, shooting, and defense… as he always does.
The general consensus is that Allen is not well-liked among fans and players throughout the league. The Bucks have such a well-received locker room and such good team chemistry that he should fit right in and follow their lead in every aspect. It seems as though almost every new player who joins the Bucks these days instantly gels with his teammates. Joining a championship team definitely contributes to such synergy. Allen is the kind of guy and player who fans love to hate and hate to love. This is especially the case if he’s not on your team and he’s your opponent.
This is an overall solid move for the Bucks. Allen is particularly efficient at the elbow 3-pointer and can put the ball on the floor, play hard, and keep his head down. According to ESPN’s Bobby Marks, the Bucks made this move by using the trade exception acquired in the D.J. Augustin deal, which is yet another solid move made by general manager Jon Horst,
Hopefully, the two future second-round picks going the other way to Memphis don’t amount to much. Bucks fans should be happy overall with this trade. In some ways, Allen isn’t exactly the player who a lot of Bucks fans would have preferred adding to the roster.
As long as he’s not intentionally trying to injure players, he will most definitely be a solid rotation piece for the Milwaukee Bucks. Based on what we saw this past season, it is obvious that Merrill lacks the athleticism and physicality of today’s NBA game. His age also is a deterrent to his overall development, which isn’t too promising.
In some respects, the Milwaukee Bucks found their “bad guy” to add to the roster now. Allen is a constant irritant and is capable of getting under opposing players’ skin very easy to throw them off their game and out of rhythm. He should be a contributor from day one.