The Milwaukee Bucks are reportedly interested in making a huge splash this off-season by going after one of the hottest names on the market.
Multiple outlets have reported that the Bucks are interested in trading for Bradley Beal, who could get traded this off-season with the Washington Wizards hiring a new front office regime. ESPN’s Brian Windhorst has reported that the Bucks and Miami Heat are at the forefront of Beal interest when it comes to suitors. Due to Beal’s sizeable contract and Milwaukee’s limited assets, the path to a trade is far easier said than done. With that said, let us look at a few deals.
First Bradley Beal trade package for the Milwaukee Bucks
This seems like the most popular trade package floater around. To even possibly take back Beal’s $46.7 million salary for next season, the Bucks would almost certainly have to include Jrue Holiday or Khris Middleton. Given just how much chatter there has been about the Bucks wanting to keep the latter as he approaches free agency, Holiday may be the likelier candidate to be moved. Adding in Grayson Allen, who the Bucks have shown a willingness to trade before, helps the team match Beal’s hefty salary, and that first round pick can be the ultimate sweetener.
Not all Bucks fans are on board with trading Holiday. Although he undeniably had a poor showing these past playoffs, the guard can certainly still play at a high level, having been named an All-Star just a few months ago. However, the Bucks must take into account Holiday’s previous comments regarding his retirement when his contract is up, which he made on the Point Forward Podcast. If that is true, the Bucks would have two more years of Holiday. Those comments must make the Bucks wonder if they should go all-in over these next two years or move Holiday to try and keep the contending window open for several more years.
If the Bucks made this deal, they would have Beal under contract for four more years, and at just 29 years old, they likely wouldn’t have to worry about retirement anytime soon. This deal would stretch out the team’s title window by giving them a younger star who has yet to turn 30 while giving up two starters and a pick.
Second Bradley Beal trade package for the Milwaukee Bucks
Yes, this is the same exact deal as the first one with the inclusion of Monte Morris. According to ESPN’s Brian Windhorst, many people will be surprised to see what Beal eventually gets traded for, as his no-trade clause makes it difficult for the Wizards to get back a strong haul. The Bucks should look to get not only Beal but another quality guard in a potential deal if that is the case.
If the Bucks move Holiday, the team will need to find themselves a new starting point guard for the foreseeable future; adding Morris would allow them to do that. The 27-year-old is among the more underrated floor generals in the league and was pegged as a fine trade target for the Bucks even before this Beal news surfaced. If they could snag him in a package alongside Beal, it would be a quiet win for this Milwaukee team.
The guard is coming off one of the best seasons of his NBA career and would be a seamless fit in Milwaukee alongside this hypothetical core. He averaged 10.3 points and a career-best 5.3 assists per game last season. Playing with Antetokounmpo, Beal, and likely Khris Middleton, Morris could shatter his career-high once again while also getting plenty of looks for himself due to the sheer amount of attention those three would command. In short, a Morris-Beal backcourt would be a solid tandem in Milwaukee.
Third Bradley Beal trade package for the Milwaukee Bucks
Again, if Bradley Beal’s value is low, perhaps the Bucks could look to get more from the Wizards in a deal. Monte Morris seems like the more feasible option, but Milwaukee should undeniably try to get their hands on Corey Kispert if there is any genuine possibility.
Throughout his two seasons in the NBA thus far, Kispert has put up some eye-catching numbers, having averaged 9.6 points while shooting 47.8 percent from the floor and 39.1 percent from the 3-point line. Among his strongest attributes is his 3-point shooting, and alongside this potential Big 3 in Milwaukee, Kispert could hypothetically lead the league in “wide-open” 3-point attempts due to the sheer number of quality looks he’d get nightly.
The Bucks would also be wise to stock up on wings this off-season. Jae Crowder, Joe Ingles, and Wesley Matthews are all going to be free agents, meaning this team could be thin at the position very quickly into the off-season. Adding the 6-foot-7 Kispert would help replenish that depth and give the Bucks an exciting player. At 24 years old, he would also help add some youth to what was the oldest roster in the association this past NBA season.
Stay tuned for more Milwaukee Bucks analysis and Bradley Beal trade rumors.