NBA Trades: Grading 5 Jrue Holiday proposals for the Milwaukee Bucks
By Dalton Sell
Grading a trade proposal between the Milwaukee Bucks and Chicago Bulls
A Central Division shake-up would be in the works with this trade. This particular trade would be beneficial for both teams, to an extent.
For the Bucks, adding LaVine would immediately help with their need for more shot-creators and reliable scorers. The guard is a lethal scorer and long-range shooter, having averaged 24.5 points while shooting 38.4 percent from deep on 5.8 attempts per game. A player like that could surely help the Milwaukee Bucks offensively, especially in the playoffs, where they’ve struggled for years.
LaVine, who is prominently known for his high-flying dunks, would also give the Bucks a boost of much-needed athleticism. At 27 years old, he would also provide youth, which, once again, is a big attribute this team needs more of. This trade would also give the Bucks some long-term security, as LaVine is under contract and has a player option in 2026-27, which is much different than the uncertainty surrounding Holiday and his potential retirement in two years.
The main concerns with this trade would be the drop-off in defense and LaVine’s injury history in his career. LaVine isn’t a complete liability defensively, but his play on that side of the ball is among his strong suits, which could be somewhat troublesome for the Bucks. As for the injuries, LaVine has played more than 70 games just three times in his eight-year career. Still, despite both of the concerns, LaVine is undeniably a captivating target, especially if they’d be able to get him without giving up a pick, as proposed in this hypothetical.
One reason the Bulls may consider this would be their need for a point guard. With Lonzo Ball’s playing career moving forward uncertain, the Bulls very clearly need a new lead guard. There’s a big question as to whether or not it would make sense to trade LaVine for that guard, but if they are willing, this particular deal would give them an All-Star. While Bulls fans would certainly take some warming up to the idea, adding Allen would give them another guard who is a good shooter.