Details on potential Donte DiVincenzo trade, future with Milwaukee Bucks

It has certainly been an eventful ride for Donte DiVincenzo over the past year and a half with the Milwaukee Bucks. From believing he was being traded to the Sacramento Kings during the 2020 offseason to suffering a brutal season-ending ankle injury in the first round of last year’s playoffs, the young guard has been through it all recently.

Leading up to the 2022 NBA trade deadline, DiVincenzo’s future with the franchise has once again come into question. From the moment the Bucks traded for and extended Grayson Allen while not handing DiVincenzo an extension this past offseason, many believed that the latter’s time with the defending champs was ticking. However, it looks like that might not be the case.

Assessing latest trade intel and rumors surrounding Donte DiVincenzo and the Milwaukee Bucks

On a recent episode of The HoopsHype Podcast, Micahel Scotto revealed some interesting intel on DiVincenzo and where he currently stands with the Bucks. First, Scotto notes that the guard has been a hot commodity on the trade market, with teams around the league checking in on him with the February 10 deadline nearing.

"“Donte DiVincenzo has drawn considerable trade interest from teams around the league, sources told HoopsHype. Milwaukee isn’t going to move him unless they get a good young player or someone that’s going to help them win this season.”"

As Milwaukee’s best young asset, DiVincenzo has been viewed as a likely trade package in any potential deal conjured up by fans this season. Given that they did not extend him following his injury and understanding that he is set to be a restricted free agent after the season, it seemed reasonable to believe he would be moved by the deadline. Yet, Scotto says that is not the case with DiVincenzo, as it is not a foregone conclusion that the Bucks will let him go after the season solely because they already paid Allen. In fact, while many believed they purposely handed Allen an extension and did not pay DiVincenzo, that was actually not what happened.

"“The Bucks tried to extend both DiVincenzo and Grayson Allen before the deadline this season. Once Allen agreed to an extension and DiVincenzo didn’t, some around the league wondered if Milwaukee chose essentially to keep Allen over DiVincenzo long-term, but that’s not the case. Heading into the offseason, I’m told Milwaukee has an appetite for retaining both players, with DiVincenzo heading into restricted free agency on a $6.6 million qualifying offer.”"

If DiVincenzo turned down an extension from the Bucks, this situation certainly just got far more interesting. The 25-year-old is seemingly betting on himself coming off his ankle surgery, and he has been hit or miss thus far this season, which is reasonable to some degree, given the adversity with his rehab, the health, and safety protocols, and then reinjuring his ankle in warmups shortly after making his return. While he has not exactly impressed with the Bucks this season, it will be fascinating to see if he can turn things around to help them in their quest to repeat as champs, or if he will finish the season on another team.

Stay tuned for any DiVincenzo or Milwaukee Bucks updates with the trade deadline nearing.