The 2023 NBA trade deadline is less than a month away, and the Milwaukee Bucks are rumored to be looking at a handful of targets.
Two of the recurring names that have been linked to Milwaukee are Jae Crowder and Cam Reddish. The Bucks have been mentioned as a Crowder suitor since before the season began, and it seems like that has their interest has not waned in the past few months. Though Crowder has seemingly been Milwaukee’s top target for the Bucks, a new target could be in the mix as well. As reported by HoopsHype, the Bucks are among the teams to check in on Cam Reddish’s availability. Both of the players linked to Milwaukee are interesting, but let us decipher which target they should prefer.
The case for Jae Crowder being the Milwaukee Bucks’ preferred target
From the moment he requested a trade from the Phoenix Suns, Jae Crowder has been on the radar of the Milwaukee Bucks. Crowder is someone the Bucks covet highly, and though talks have gone quiet as of late, it would not be surprising if the Bucks ramped up their pursuit of the disgruntled Suns’ forward with the deadline inching closer.
Milwaukee’s interest in Crowder is easily justifiable. The Bucks’ front office has been searching for a sturdy wing defender for months now, and Crowder is the big fish on the market. The 6-foot-6 forward would fit exactly what the Bucks need, giving them a versatile wing with experience who can defend multiple positions one through five nightly. The 32-year-old veteran would also bring added experience to this roster, giving the Bucks a battle-tested veteran who has appeared in 107 playoff games in his career, including two trips to the NBA Finals.
Since he left during the 2021 offseason, the Bucks have been looking for a P.J. Tucker replacement. Looking across the league, it would be challenging to find an available player who could come into town and fill those shoes role-wise better than Crowder. Tucker and Crowder possess a lot of the same attributes, and the latter’s defense would help the Bucks tremendously as the former’s did during the team’s title run in 2021. Having Tucker allowed the team to have him guard the other team’s top scorer nightly, and Crowder could do the same thing.
There is undoubtedly a strong argument for Crowder to be the Bucks’ top trade target overall.