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.
The Milwaukee Bucks could upgrade their backup point guard with George Hill having one of his least productive seasons
The Bucks have had some trouble finding stability at the backup point guard position over the past year or so. After trading away George Hill in the big Jrue Holiday trade, they signed D.J. Augustin to a deal in free agency, only to trade him away a few months later in the P.J. Tucker trade. The Bucks signed Jeff Teague off the buyout market after that, but he never quite found his footing, and they opted not to bring him back following the title run. They reunited with Hill this past offseason after inking his signature in free agency, but he has struggled throughout the first portion on 2021-22.
In 26 appearances this year, Hill is averaging 7.7 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 2.5 assists. The veteran has already started in 12 games this season and is averaging 26.4 minutes a game, his most since the 2017-18 season. An interesting note from Hill is that he is currently having the second-worst 3-point shooting season of his career this year at 31.9 percent. This is the same guard that shot a league-best 46 percent from 3-point range with the Bucks just two seasons ago. The Bucks have relied heavily on Hill, mostly because Holiday spent time sidelined. Hill has been serviceable in a backup role, but someone like Schröder would be an upgrade in virtually every single way.
Dennis Schröder would give the Milwaukee Bucks a much-needed boost in their struggling second unit
Aside from health and availability, one of Milwaukee’s most apparent issues this season has been the subpar production from their second unit. Their bench is current 28th in points, 30th in assists, and 19th in rebounds per game this season, partially because they have been without several key pieces. Yet, those issues will continue to linger throughout the season, and the Bucks should look to patch up this flaw by bringing in some reinforcements. Schröder, who is just two years removed from finishing as the runner-up for the 2019-20 Sixth Man of the Year award, fits the billing.
Schröder is having a solid season by averaging 17.1 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 4.8 assists with the Celtics. The Bucks could use a player that is capable of scoring and facilitating the basketball at a high level off the bench, especially if that player can alleviate pressure off of Milwaukee’s stars like Holiday, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Khris Middleton. Coach Mike Budenholzer has always been a firm believer in rest and keeping a close eye on minutes for his top players, and having a quality guard like Schröder there to take on a share of the responsibility offensively would help mightily.
Speaking of Budenholzer, he knows Schröder quite well after coaching him during their days with the Atlanta Hawks. Perhaps that familiarity would make a potential trade for the guard even more enticing for the Bucks as they look to bolster their second unit lineup.
Rumors will continue to swirl around Schröder up until the February trade deadline, and it will be interesting to see if the Bucks eventually express interest.