Grade The Trade: Bucks add young piece in trade with Warriors, Spurs
By Franco Luna
Though the Milwaukee Bucks roster is capped out at 15 standard players at the moment, the team’s front office also has yet to make any trades this offseason. This has led to some fans speculating that more moves could still be in the works before we can call this roster a finished product.
Even now, trade rumors, especially those involving Grayson Allen and Pat Connaughton in the wake of their now-obsolete roles at the time, abound in Bucks fan circles. Fans and observers alike continue to hope for a better playmaking shot-creator off the bench or another stout wing defender for the playoffs.
Enter one such trade. This one was proposed by FanSided’s Tyler Watts in his recent article for Behind the Buck Pass.
The trade sees Milwaukee giving up a haul of Jae Crowder, Malik Beasley, Robin Lopez, their 2029 first round pick, and a 2024 second round via Portland for none other than the Golden State Warriors’ wing Jonathan Kuminga.
The San Antonio Spurs are also part of this deal, and they give up Sandro Mamukelashvili, who likely isn’t getting much run anyway with the drafting of first-overall pick Victor Wembanyama.
Let’s grade the trade by looking at how the three teams involved are affected.
Grade the trade: The Milwaukee Bucks’ point of view
Jae Crowder just wasn’t the best version of himself this past season. The front office clearly thought he would be a game-changer for the Bucks with his stout perimeter defense and three-level scoring, but Bucks fans saw none of that in the team’s first-round exit against the Miami Heat. Call it age or call it a lack of preparation, but the fact of the matter is that things just didn’t pan out the way we hoped.
There’s no questioning that Kuminga would fit well on the Milwaukee Bucks. He is a young, athletic forward who could help the Bucks on both ends of the court.
On offense, Kuminga is a versatile scorer who can shoot from the perimeter, attack the basket, and finish with both hands. He would give the Bucks another scoring option and could help them space the floor. Kuminga is also a good rebounder, which would help the Bucks on the boards.
On defense, Kuminga has the potential to be a good defender. He is long and athletic, and he has the tools to guard multiple positions. Kuminga would give the Bucks another defender who can switch on screens and guard the perimeter.
The Bucks are a championship contender, and Kuminga would be a good addition to their team. He is a young player with a lot of potential, and he could help the Bucks win now and in the future.