The 2022 NBA offseason has been a relatively quiet one for the Milwaukee Bucks thus far.
Within the first hour of free agency, the front office was busy as they managed to re-sign several key players in Bobby Portis, Jevon Carter, and Wesley Matthews while also bringing in Joe Ingles. Aside from that one hour, it has been radio silence on Milwaukee’s end, but given general manager Jon Horst’s track record, he is likely not done tinkering with the roster. While the Bucks do not have the most financial flexibility at the moment, Horst could look to improve his team through trades, as there are several compelling names that would be worthwhile targets. With all that being said, here are five trades to help the Milwaukee Bucks strengthen their roster.
NBA Trades: The Milwaukee Bucks could pursue a move for Rudy Gay
The Utah Jazz have been busy lately as they have traded away two starters within the last week. The first was Royce O’Neale, who was sent to the Brooklyn Nets, but the bigger domino was their decision to trade Rudy Gobert to the Minnesota Timberwolves for a significant haul of draft picks and players. If Utah is looking to move more pieces and retool, the Milwaukee Bucks should make an offer for Rudy Gay, as the veteran forward could help patch several of the holes on their roster.
Gay has made a living in the league over the past 16 years as a scorer, having averaged a quality 16.3 points per game in that timeframe. Although the forward had his least productive season to date in 2021-22, having averaged single-digit points for the first time in his career, that could be attributed to him playing a career-low in minutes as well. With proper minutes, Gay could provide second unit scoring, which is exactly what the Bucks need. Per NBA.com.stats, Milwaukee’s bench ranked 27th in bench points per game during the 2021-22 regular season, which proved to be a notable flaw in the postseason. As they look to eliminate that issue, adding a reputable scorer like Gay could undoubtedly help the cause.
Versatility is another factor that should make Gay a desirable target for Milwaukee, considering they also lacked that this past season. Standing at 6-foot-8, 250lbs, Gay is capable of playing either forward position, and he could be the answer to Milwaukee’s current predicament at the power forward position. The roster lacked a small ball four heading into the playoffs, which took away their ability to truly be at their best when Mike Budenholzer put Giannis Antetokounmpo at center. Though the Bucks did add a power forward in Joe Ingles that could hypothetically play this role, he is coming off ACL surgery and will likely not be ready until early 2023. In the meantime, Gay could fill in and line up next to Antetokounmpo when the Bucks go to these lineups, providing more scoring and quality rebounding.
As for the trade package itself, it is a simple one. To match Gay’s $6.2 million salary for next year, the Bucks could include George Hill and Rayjon Tucker. Hill will be on the books for $4 million for the 2022-23 season, while Tucker is currently on a non-guaranteed deal worth $1.8 million. The Bucks would have to add a second round pick in here as a sweetener, as it seems like the Jazz are collecting picks lately. To get a player like Gay that would immediately make the Bucks better, it is a worthy package to consider.
NBA Trades: The Milwaukee Bucks could pursue a move for Justin Holiday
The Atlanta Hawks have made a handful of moves already this offseason, one of which included landing Justin Holiday in a trade with the Sacramento Kings. Given Atlanta’s abundance of talent on the wing, it may not be too far-fetched to say that they could be willing to flip Holiday for the right price. If so, the Milwaukee Bucks should swoop in and make an offer to land the forward for more reasons than just being the older brother of current Buck Jrue Holiday.
On impact, Holiday would give the Bucks another body on the wing for depth purposes, which is something the team needs this offseason. Although they have done a solid job of adding talent there by re-signing Wesley Matthews, drafting MarJon Beauchamp, and signing Joe Ingles, they would be wise to bring in another wing for good measure, and Holiday would fit the billing.
The 6-foot-6 veteran could be a great pickup for Milwaukee, giving them another versatile piece for head coach Mike Budenholzer to utilize defensively. Utilizing his length, Holiday can guard an assortment of different positions, and his height would make him one of the team’s taller wings. Of course, Milwaukee’s wings had some trouble defending taller players like Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown in their recent playoff run, so adding more height on the wing would be a feasible move. Offensively, Holiday could provide serviceable bench scoring and 3-point shooting, having averaged a respectable 9.6 points per game while shooting 38.2 percent from deep over the last three years. Strong two-way play like that could make Holiday an immediate contributor.
Financially, Holiday is set to make $6.3 million next season, which could make him a gettable piece for the Bucks. If they packaged George Hill, Rayjon Tucker, and a second round pick, perhaps the Hawks could be willing to move the forward if they are looking to get something for him. Atlanta’s plans for Holiday are currently unknown, but Milwaukee should keep a close eye on the situation.
NBA Trades: The Milwaukee Bucks could pursue a move for Seth Curry
The Brooklyn Nets are currently in an incredibly difficult position. With Kevin Durant requesting a trade and Kyrie Irving seemingly already having one foot out the door, the team will likely have to part ways with their two stars this offseason, which could reportedly trigger other roster moves. According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, Brooklyn’s entire roster is available for trade, which is certainly worth noting, as they have no shortage of players that could make great targets for the Milwaukee Bucks. While the Bucks do not have the assets to add either of the Nets’ superstars, they should make a call to Brooklyn to inquire about Seth Curry.
It is no secret that the Bucks are always looking to add more 3-point shooting, and targeting one of the best long range shooters to ever play the game would fit the billing. Throughout his ongoing eight-year career, Curry has proven to be an elite marksman by burying 43.9 percent of his triples on 4.4 attempts per game. Shooting like that would help the guard flourish in Mike Budenholzer’s system offensively, and the Bucks could undoubtedly use it after they struggled to knock down a three consistently throughout the 2022 NBA Playoffs. Speaking of playoffs, Curry’s numbers only get better on the big stage, as he has shot a blistering 47.5 percent from three on 4.7 attempts in 38 career postseason games. Numbers like that should be enticing for the Bucks as they look to shore up their perimeter shooting.
Adding Curry could also give Giannis Antetokounmpo another reliable threat on the perimeter whenever they would share the court. Over the past three seasons, the Bucks have brought in a handful of marksmen like Kyle Korver, Bryn Forbes, and Grayson Allen, all of whom have thrived due to the sheer number of open looks they receive playing alongside the Greek Freak. With all due respect to those three players, Curry would immediately be the best of the bunch in that role, given his stellar outside shooting.
To acquire Curry, the Bucks would have to put together a package that allows them to absorb his $8.5 million salary for next season. They could look to entice Brooklyn by pitching Grayson Allen, who is coming off the best year of his career and will make $8.5 million next season, alongside a pair of second round picks. If the Nets are indeed looking to retool with Durant and Irving looking to play elsewhere, perhaps the opportunity to add some youth while stocking up on some future draft capital could be captivating.
NBA Trades: The Milwaukee Bucks could pursue a move for Jordan Clarkson
The Utah Jazz have several players that would make sense for the Milwaukee Bucks to make a run at this offseason. In addition to Rudy Gay, another name worth mentioning is Jordan Clarkson, and if there is any chance that he will be available in trade discussions, the Bucks should kick the tires on adding the recently turned 30-year-old guard for a handful of reasons.
First and foremost, Clarkson is one of the best reserve scorers in the business, and as highlighted previously, the Bucks need to bring in more bench scoring. Over the past eight years, Clarkson has averaged 15.4 points per contest while mainly coming off the bench, having provided a significant spark wherever he has played. The 2020-21 Sixth Man of the Year winner would be a great fit for the Bucks, as his scoring would take this bench brigade to new heights next season.
Circling back to the most recent playoff run, another clear flaw that plagued Milwaukee was their lack of players that could create their own shot offensively. Bringing in Clarkson would help lessen those concerns next season, giving them a lethal creator off the bench. The most notable problem with Clarkson is his streaky 3-point shooting, as he has been hit or miss throughout his career. Yet, for a team like Milwaukee that desperately needs to add a reliable second unit spark offensively, that should not deter them from pursuing Clarkson’s services.
The biggest unknown with Clarkson is whether or not the Jazz are also willing to move him as they were with Royce O’Neale and Rudy Gobert. If so, it is unclear what they would ask for in exchange for the 30-year-old. To match his $13.3 million salary, the Bucks could package together a pair of former Jazz players in Grayson Allen and George Hill, who could both be rotational pieces. It seems like Utah is also targeting draft capital in these trades, so Milwaukee could add a pair of future second round selections to try and persuade them to part ways with the backup combo guard.
NBA Trades: The Milwaukee Bucks could pursue a move for P.J. Washington
Rumors have been swirling for months now that the Charlotte Hornets could be looking to move P.J. Washington via trade. Bleacher Report’s Jake Fischer reported all the way back in January that Washington was a “trade possibility” for Charlotte, and he has been mentioned in countless trade rumors since then. If the Hornets are still looking to move Washington, the Milwaukee Bucks need to make a push for the forward, as he could be the perfect trade target for them to pursue.
As mentioned previously, the Bucks need to find themselves a small ball power forward at some point this offseason, and Washington would be a great option. The 6-foot-7, 230lb forward can hold his own against several positions and has proven to be a pesky defender on that stat sheet by averaging one block and nearly a steal per game throughout his three seasons. On the other side of the ball, Washington is a solid scorer, having averaged 11.8 points per game in his career thus far. He is also a fantastic long range shooter, having hit 37.5 percent of his 3-point shots on 4.4 attempts on average. Two-way play like that would help Washington feel right at home with the Bucks, and he would help alleviate one of their biggest flaws as currently constructed, which is their lack of a legitimate small ball four.
Although the Hornets have been shopping Washington, it is unclear what the Bucks would have to give up to acquire him. His $5.8 million salary for next season is beyond digestible and could even be considered a bargain, but the Hornets may want something of value for the 23-year-old. While the Bucks do not have too many desirable assets, they could offer George Hill and Luca Vildoza to match salaries while also adding two future second rounders for good measure. This move would help the Hornets save some money, which could be enticing as they look to reshape their roster. Whatever the case may be, the Bucks need to be all in on Washington if he is indeed available.
Stay tuned to see if the Milwaukee Bucks make a run at any of these potential NBA trade targets.