From D.J. Augustin to Jeff Teague to George Hill, the Milwaukee Bucks have cycled through several names at the backup point guard position over the past two seasons.
This offseason, they should look to shake things up once more, given how problematic the play of Hill proved to be throughout the season. Hill put together the least productive season of his NBA career since his rookie season in 2008-09, as he struggled mightily to contribute for the Bucks on a consistent basis. Given that the subpar play from Milwaukee’s bench was among their obvious flaws last season, landing an upgrade would help tremendously as the Bucks look to bounce back next season. However, the Bucks will first have to find a new home for Hill, as the guard is under contract for a fully guaranteed $4 million next season. If the opportunity does present itself, the Bucks should not hesitate to trade away the 36-year-old guard and seek a much-needed upgrade. With that being said, here are three potential backup point guard trade targets for the Bucks.
Vasilije Micic could be a trade target for the Milwaukee Bucks this offseason
Over the past several years, the Milwaukee Bucks have not shied away from looking overseas for more talented pieces to bring aboard, and it appears they are doing so once again. As reported by Bleacher Report’s Jake Fischer, the Bucks have expressed trade interest in Vasilije Micic, whose rights are currently held by the OKC Thunder. The Serbian point guard has spent his entire career overseas, but it appears that he is looking to transition to the NBA as soon as possible, and he is on Milwaukee’s radar, which is certainly intriguing.
Although Micic may not be a household name, several experts, such as ESPN’s Jonathan Givony (subscription required), have called him arguably the best point guard in Europe. Throughout his playing career overseas, the 28-year-old point guard has averaged 12.8 points, 2.3 rebounds, and 4.6 assists in 25.7 minutes per game, per Basketball Reference. Micic is also a reliable long range shooter, having knocked down 36.9 percent of his career triples on 4.6 attempts, which would help him fit in with this Milwaukee offense rather quickly. The guard is a stellar scorer and a fantastic playmaker, two attributes that could help Milwaukee’s bench tremendously as they seek out more reliable contributors in the second unit.
As for Micic’s trade availability, it is somewhat tricky. The 28-year-old’s draft rights are currently held by the OKC Thunder, but as reported in the previous article by Givony, he is not likely to play for OKC if he comes to the league. It appears that Micic wants the opportunity to play a genuine role on a team competing for a title, and the Thunder are currently prioritizing their youth while rebuilding. They would likely be willing to deal him elsewhere for the right price, whether that is one first round pick, two seconds, or whatever general manager Sam Presti sees fitting. Though the Bucks should not go all-in on the guard and give up significant assets, Micic could be a solid option for the Bucks if he is available without breaking the bank.