Milwaukee Bucks: 3 too early predictions for 2022 NBA Trade Deadline
By Dalton Sell
Donte DiVincenzo will not get traded by the deadline and will finish the season out with the Milwaukee Bucks
Donte DiVincenzo’s name has been in the rumor mill consistently over the past few months after an unfortunate end to his season in 2020-21. Having undergone season-ending surgery back in June, the Bucks understood that he would likely miss significant time to begin this season, which is why they swung a trade for Grayson Allen this past offseason.
Not only did the Bucks bring in another solid shooting guard, but they handed him a new contract before he even played a game for the franchise. Meanwhile, DiVincenzo did not receive a new contract this offseason, despite being eligible. Given his current injury, it makes sense that the Bucks would like to see him healthy first before committing, but the writing is on the wall that Allen could be a long-term solution at the shooting guard position. Does that mean the Bucks should trade Donte before he becomes a free agent after the season? It is an entertainable idea.
On the books for $4.7 million this season, DiVincenzo’s salary could be useful in a trade financially. With an affordable contract like that, opposing teams would undoubtedly have an interest in him. Aside from possibly Nwora, DiVincenzo is arguably Milwaukee’s biggest trade chip. The guard just had a career year as a full-time starter in 2020-21, which many forget as he missed the final three rounds of the team’s title run with injury.
Teams will call about his availability, but it just seems unlikely that the team would be willing to deal him midway through the year. If a deal will eventually materialize, it will likely come once the season is over. That would give the guard a chance to return to the Bucks this season and show he can still play at a high level coming off this injury. Given how depleted Milwaukee’s roster is at this point, adding DiVincenzo to the bench would be a massive boost during another title run. There is no timetable for his return just yet, but he will be a key contributor upon returning.
The Bucks will likely keep DiVincenzo around unless they plan on making a massive move, which is unlikely. Of course, the team traded him to the Sacramento Kings in a deal for Bogdan Bogdanovic before the 2020-21 season, but the deal fell through. This front office regime has shown that they are willing to trade DiVincenzo, but only for a player that will bolster Milwaukees’ title chances by a fair amount. A deal like that midseason seems like a pipe dream.
After the season is one thing, but a trade deadline deal for DiVincenzo seems unlikely.