Milwaukee Bucks: 5 last minute trade targets before 2022-23 NBA season
By Dalton Sell
After a quiet offseason, the Milwaukee Bucks are gearing up for the start of the 2022-23 season.
With training camp on the horizon, it appears that the Bucks will roll into the next season with the current iteration of their roster. However, that could change in the blink of an eye. There has been plenty of debate surrounding whether or not the Bucks should make a trade ahead of next season, especially given the handful of compelling trade targets on the market. If the front office is looking to strengthen Milwaukee’s roster before next season, here are five targets they could look into.
Kelly Oubre Jr. could be a last minute trade target for the Milwaukee Bucks
After Khris Middleton went down, the Milwaukee Bucks’ lack of reliable wing depth was exposed in the playoffs against the Boston Celtics last season. After that, many clamored for the Bucks to get a two-way wing that could help lessen the concern of that happening again down the line. They did add a wing by drafting MarJon Beauchamp, but it would not hurt to add another, and an eye-catching target could be Kelly Oubre Jr.
Oubre has been linked to the Bucks previously. Per SNY’s Ian Begley, the Bucks were among the teams to pursue the forward during the 2021 offseason. Milwaukee’s rumored interest in Oubre was completely justifiable, and he should be among the names on their radar. The small forward just had a solid year with the Charlotte Hornets in 2021-22 by averaging 15 points, 4.0 rebounds, 1.1 assists, and a steal per game. Numbers like that are nothing to scoff at, and Oubre could be a serviceable role player off Milwaukee’s bench.
Adding Oubre would particularly help strengthen Milwaukee’s defense. The 6-foot-7 swingman is incredibly versatile and can defend multiple positions when asked. Oubre would be a great player to have when the Bucks are facing a top-tier wing as he could take on the assignment of slowing them down, which would free up Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jrue Holiday, and the team’s other top defenders. As evidenced by the Celtics series, that would be helpful for the Bucks going forward.
The biggest knock on Oubre is his outside shooting, as he has shot just 33.1 percent from behind the arc across his seven seasons. Given how much the Bucks depend on 3-point shooting, Oubre may not be the perfect fit offensively. Yet, for what it is worth, Oubre did just have a decent year from downtown with the Charlotte Hornets as he buried 34.5 percent of his threes, which was the second-best percentage of his career. Heaving 7.3 3-point attempts per game, which was a new career-high, Oubre was certainly not shy about letting it fly, and perhaps the open looks he would receive with the Bucks could help him build off that success, hypothetically.
Financially, Oubre is set to make $12.6 million next season. That puts the forward with the range of affordability for the Bucks in a realistic trade package, given their limited assets and contracts to match that salary. If the Bucks want to add a wing that can defend at a high level and also give them a scoring boost on the opposite end, Oubre should be on their radar. Per an anonymous executive who spoke with Sean Deveney of Heavy.com, the Charlotte Hornets could look to trade the forward this coming season. If so, the Bucks should certainly inquire about acquiring Oubre.