Where do the Bucks go after their failed pursuit of Bradley Beal via trade?

Before he was dealt to the Phoenix Suns, the Milwaukee Bucks were among the top suitors for three-time All-Star Bradley Beal.

With their Beal dreams crushed, the Bucks will have to turn their attention elsewhere to improve their roster. While there may not be any more players on the market of Beal’s caliber, there will be some household names who could certainly help the team in their pursuit of another title.

Where do the Bucks go after their failed pursuit of Bradley Beal via trade?

The Bucks need to bring in more scoring next season. Luckily for them, there will be a few names on the market who could help them out in that department.

If the Bucks want to bring in a dynamic scorer next season to complement their core, which they signaled with their Beal interest, Bojan Bogdanovic would make some sense. Milwaukee already had an interest in the forward, having tried to trade for him this past trade deadline. It would be justifiable for the team to reignite that interest, as Bogdanovic averaged 21.6 points per game in 2022-23, a new career high. With a $20 million salary for next season, adding the forward may not be a cheap trade piece, but his scoring could very well make him worth it.

Another player the Bucks should keep their eye on is Bogdan Bogdanovic of the Atlanta Hawks. The Athletic’s Sam Amick (Subscription required) reported that over half of the league called the Hawks at the trade deadline to inquire about Bogdanovic. It wouldn’t be overly surprising if the Bucks were among the teams who called. Not only do the Bucks have a prior interest in him, but he’d also give them the complementary scorer they need on the wing. With $18.7 million on his contract next season, he’s not an outright unreasonable target financially for Milwaukee.

Sticking with wings, Buddy Hield of the Indiana Pacers should absolutely be on Milwaukee’s radar. The two-guard is among the best long-range shooters in the association and can put up points in a hurry. He’d be the perfect starting shooting guard on this team and would be an excellent fit on the court with Giannis Antetokounmpo, given his floor spacing capabilities. With an $18.6 million expiring salary for next season, the Bucks could move some pieces around to get Hield. While it’s unclear if Indiana would move him, perhaps the right offer could make them consider.

There are undoubtedly more names out there, but given Milwaukee’s limited financial flexibility and tradeable assets, these three come to mind above all else.

Stay tuned for more Milwaukee Bucks analysis and trade possibilities.