3 reasons the Milwaukee Bucks should avoid trading for Daniel Theis

Bleacher Report’s Jake Fischer recently posted a list of the latest NBA trade rumors and intel in the weeks leading up to the 2022 NBA trade deadline. In the article, the Milwaukee Bucks were discussed and listed among teams checking in on Houston Rockets big man Daniel Theis, who is said to potentially be available for trade. While it is justifiable that the Bucks are looking around for more help at the center position, there are three reasons why I believe this would be a bad move for the defending champs, and here they are.

Why the Milwaukee Bucks should avoid trading for Daniel Theis: His contract

It’s no secret that the Milwaukee Bucks are in the luxury tax and whatever money they have coming in has to also go out in any hypothetical trade. Although trading for Theis is doable if the Bucks were willing to piece together a package that includes Donte DiVincenzo, Rodney Hood, and Semi Ojeleye to Houston, his contract as a whole should make them skeptical.

Theis signed a four-year, $36 million deal with the Rockets in early August 2021, meaning he’s on the books until at least 2024 with a team option for 2025. Trading for him would leave the Bucks with less financial flexibility in the next three off-seasons if they were to keep the three guys mentioned who are free agents at season’s end or if they were to acquire a different player on an expiring contract or sign someone in the buyout market. All of that and also worth mentioning that Theis will be 30 before this year’s playoffs start.

Simply put, there are more affordable targets out on the trade market that would make sense for a Milwaukee team that is strapped for cash at this time. Rather than bringing in a player that just signed a lucrative contract, they would be wise to target someone on an expiring deal that is cheaper to keep their flexibility open after the season.