Do the Milwaukee Bucks have another target in mind via trade or free agency?
If the Bucks are not believers in Mamukelashvili, then their decision to waive Cousins is even more puzzling. The only logical line of thinking then would be that they have their eyes on a replacement currently on the trade market or waiting to be signed in free agency. General manager Jon Horst tends to have a trick up his sleeve at all times, so that line of thinking might not be too far-fetched.
The Bucks have been known to do their due diligence on the trade market, and there are several names potential available that could be enticing. Though the team is short on assets, Horst has navigated his way through this same problem countless times before, and he could certainly do it again, particularly with the franchise extremely thin at a position of need. He is likely working the phones right now as the former Executive of the Year continues to try and bolster the roster. A few names that come to mind include Mike Muscala, Robin Lopez, and Mo Bamba.
If a trade is not in the cards, perhaps the front office is looking at the free agent landscape. Teams across the league have been utilizing 10-day hardship exceptions to bring in reinforcements, and the Bucks did use one to sign center Luke Kornet recently. Although the opportunity is there now, Kornet likely will not stick around in Milwaukee for too long. If the plan was to just wait and see how the buyout market takes shape leading up to the trade deadline, then this is a reckless move by the champs, given that there is no guarantee they will get someone better than Cousins.
Given his track record, the general consensus is that Horst must have something up his sleeve to make the decision to waive Cousins make sense. Only time will tell if something happens sooner rather than later or if the Milwaukee Bucks are playing the long game.