Yesterday marked one month until the 2023 NBA trade deadline, meaning the countdown has officially ramped up for the Milwaukee Bucks in their pursuit of upgrades.
The two names that have been linked to the Bucks the most frequently are Bojan Bogdanovic and Jae Crowder. For a while, it was seemingly just those two, but a new name has entered the mix for the Bucks. Per HoopsHype, the Bucks are among a handful of teams to express interest in getting Immanuel Quickley of the New York Knicks. The Athletic’s Shams Charania (subscription required) reported a while back that the Knicks were willing to discuss the guard in trade talks. Milwaukee is bound to make some upgrades at the deadline, and Quickley is a player rightfully on their radar.
Reactions to the Milwaukee Bucks being interested in Immanuel Quickley
With Khris Middleton, Milwaukee’s typical second-leading scorer, missing a significant chunk of the season, the Bucks’ offense has struggled, especially off the bench. Per NBA.com/stats, the Bucks’ bench ranks 15th in points per game this season, which is right in the middle of the pack. The team needs another reserve who can score the basketball in bunches, and Quickley would be just that. Averaging a career-high 12.2 points per game this season, Quickley could be the boost the Bucks need offensively off the bench right now.
In addition to giving the Bucks a much-needed microwave scorer, Quickly would be another solid ball-handler and playmaker. He could alleviate some of the ball-handling duties off of the Bucks’ top players in Giannis Antetokounmpo and Jrue Holiday, which would give them a much-needed break at times. Another guard who can make plays for others while being able to create their own shot would help the Bucks quite a bit right now.
Quickley’s defense is also an underrated aspect of his game. He’s not a lockdown defender by any stretch, but the 6-foot-3 guard has proven to be a pesky, hard-nosed defender over the course of his first three seasons. His defense would help him fit right in with the Bucks, especially in some lineup combinations with Jrue Holiday. That would make for a tough defensive-oriented backcourt. He is also young. At 23 years old, Quickley would give Milwaukee some youth to add to this core.
Financially, Quickley is on the books for $4.2 million this season, which is beyond reasonable for the Bucks in any trade. There are questions as to what the Knicks would want as far as assets in exchange for him, but the Bucks have the salaries to match, which is half of the battle. The report notes that Quickley’s asking price was previously a first rounder, but his improved play as of late with R.J. Barrett sidelined makes a deal harder to envision, but not impossible.
In short, Milwaukee’s interest in Quickley is beyond justified. With Jevon Carter struggling mightily as of late and George Hill out of the current rotation, the Bucks’ have not had trouble at the backup point guard position lately. Adding a piece like Quickley could be exactly what this offense needs to get back up and running with some fluidity while simultaneously strengthening the defense.
Stay tuned to see if the Milwaukee Bucks intensify their pursuit of Immanuel Quickley over the next month or so before the 2023 trade deadline.