Pass or pursue on Bleacher Report’s trade targets for Milwaukee Bucks
By Dalton Sell
Bleacher Report’s first trade target for the Milwaukee Bucks: Garrett Temple
Garrett Temple is Bleacher Report’s first suggested trade deadline target for the Bucks, a name that fans will remember from his brief stint with the team previously. Temple had a quick cup of coffee in Milwaukee as he played nine games with the Bucks during the 2010-11 season. Over a decade later, could the veteran make his way back to Milwaukee as the team looks to make some adjustments to the bench?
Looking at the positives, Temple would provide another solid defensive contributor for the Bucks. Milwaukee could use a veteran player like Temple as two quality defenders in Donte DiVincenzo and Semi Ojeleye remain sidelined with injuries. The Bucks are always looking to shore up their personnel defensively, and Temple would help in that regard with the bench currently banged up. Offensively, Temple has never been known for his scoring, and he would not give the Bucks much on that side of the ball. His shooting would not captivate the team either as he has knocked down just 34.7 percent of his career 3-pointers. Shooting is not the end all be all for any target, but it is always helpful when gauging their stock.
While trading for Temple could be enticing due to his defense, the Bucks are already loaded with players that would play the same position as him. Behind Khris Middleton and Pat Connaughton, players like Rodney Hood, Wesley Matthews, and Jordan Nwora are all fighting for minutes. It will get even more challenging when DiVincenzo and Ojeleye eventually return to the lineup. Another obstacle in any deal with Temple is his salary, as he is making $4.9 million this season. Creating a package that works financially would not be the most challenging thing in the world, but the Bucks would likely have to include multiple players to make it work, and that seems unlikely.