3 reasons why the Milwaukee Bucks will have a quiet trade deadline

It’s that time of the year when teams begin to pursue season-defining moves with the 2022 NBA trade deadline inching closer. However, the Milwaukee Bucks could be one of the title-contending teams that remain quiet on the open market in these coming days up until Thursday’s buzzer.

The Bucks are currently the third seed in the Eastern Conference with a 33-21 record. They’ve had an up and down season thus far to begin their quest of defending the title, yet they’re still very much in the hunt for the top seed in the East once the playoffs come around.

Milwaukee has been dealing with injuries throughout the entire campaign, and the absence of Brook Lopez has clearly hurt the most. Lopez has been out since the opening night thrashing over the Nets in October. There’s no specific timeline for his return, but there’s still hope that the seven-foot center can return at some point this season.

As the 2022 NBA trade deadline looms closer, we look at three reasons why the Milwaukee Bucks will stay quiet on the trade market.

The health of the Milwaukee Bucks, especially Brook Lopez, could serve as an indication of how active the defending champions will be ahead of the February 10th trade deadline. Although, if there’s any optimism that Lopez could be available in the postseason, it would likely decrease the chances of general manager Jon Horst making an aggressive “home run” move.

Without Lopez, Milwaukee’s best starting lineup includes Jrue Holiday, Grayson Allen, Khris Middleton, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Bobby Portis. The consistent bench rotation consists of George Hill, Pat Connaughton, Donte DiVincenzo, and Wesley Matthews.

Jordan Nwora, Rodney Hood, Semi Ojeleye, Thanasis Antetokounmpo, and rookie Sandro Mamukelashvili (two-way contract) serve as reserves that occasionally enter the rotation.

With this currently constructed roster, the Bucks seem desperate for frontcourt depth. It has haunted them all season due to the absence of their starting champion center, so pursuing a big should be the priority for the Bucks leading up to the deadline.

Nevertheless, there are limitations and lack of flexibility for Milwaukee that could hinder their pursuit of desired targets and cause them to stay on the quieter side. Being quiet doesn’t necessarily mean that the Bucks won’t make any moves before the trade deadline, but rather implying that they won’t make a super impactful move like the P.J. Tucker acquisition last year.

Let’s look at three insightful reasons why the Milwaukee Bucks will have a quiet trade deadline.