The Milwaukee Bucks have been awfully quiet on the trade front lately, almost too quiet. Sure, the main reason behind that could be how this team has hardly played together this season. Between injuries, illnesses, and a slew of players entering the league’s health and safety protocols, it is hard to assess just what this depleted Milwaukee team needs right now. Yet, that has not stopped fans from conjuring up some hypothetical targets such as Dennis Schröder.
Schröder’s name has been mentioned in the rumor mill lately after The Atheltic’s Shams Charania (subscription required) reported that rival teams expect the Boston Celtics to potentially deal the guard elsewhere before the February deadline. Though the Bucks have not yet been directly listed as an interested suitor for Schröder this season, they are on the record previously trying to bring in the veteran guard. The Ringer’s Kevin O’Connor reported last season that the Bucks were locked in deep negotiations with the OKC Thunder for Schröder, but they never agreed to a deal.
With Schröder back on the market, the Bucks would be wise to at least kick the tires on a trade to bolster their championship odds. With that being said, here are three reasons why the Bucks must make a run at Schröder before the trade deadline.
Dennis Schröder would be an affordable trade target for the Milwaukee Bucks
Affordability is a struggle that the Bucks tend to face with trade targets. Given that they have the fifth-highest payroll in the association, they are limited in what they can work with financially. Yet, that makes Schröder a reasonable target as he is on the books for $5.9 million this year.
Players like Schröder typically are not on the market for what most teams would consider a rather team-friendly deal, but he is a rare exception. Of course, Schröder reportedly rejected a four-year extension with the Los Angeles Lakers worth $84 million prior to the 2020-21 season, according to ESPN’s Brian Windhorst. That decision came back to bite him as he signed with the Celtics on a one-year prove-it deal for the 2021-22 season that was worth far less. He has played so well with Boston this season that Charania noted in his reporting that the Celtics may consider dealing him due to the understanding that he will likely be out of their price range after the season.
Although the Bucks would find themselves in a similar position when it comes to paying the guard once he hits free agency, that should not stop them from thinking of the present. This Milwaukee team is among the top contenders in the league, and sometimes all it takes is one move to push a team over the edge. At $5.6 million for the season, there are few trade targets out there that could be more affordable and capable of making an impact on the team.