It felt inevitable that the Milwaukee Bucks would clear roster room for Amir Coffey, but the signing of Thanasis Antetokounmpo has thrown a wrench in those plans. To sign the forward, the Bucks will now have to clear two roster spots, making room for both Antetokounmpo and Coffey. Andre Jackson Jr. feels as good as gone, but Tyler Smith might be next to join him if Milwaukee also wants Coffey.
Smith might be a casualty of Bucks' perplexing roster movement
It's not controversial to say that letting Amir Coffey, a player many are saying is the steal of the entire NBA offseason, walk out the door after training camp would be foolish. He's a proven wing who has a skill set this team desperately needs. That's why figuring out Thanasis' situation first was so odd; he's 33 and coming off an Achilles tear. Choosing him over Amir Coffey would hurt this team.
The same goes for Chris Livingston, who is raw, and Gary Harris, who is coming off a down year, two players who earned standard contracts this summer. Plenty of teams would rather have Coffey than them on the payroll. Rather than waiving anyone to make room, it feels like Milwaukee's next course of action would be finding a trade partner for Smith.
There would be a market for Smith, who is about to enter his second NBA season. He didn't play much as a rookie, but there were flashes of potential in his game. Athletic, sharpshooting 6-foot-11 big men don't grow on trees. Still not even 21 years old, the youngster has plenty of room to grow and could be a compelling low-risk flyer for teams. Trading him would hurt, given that the team invested a draft asset in him and that he's brimming with potential, but it could be a necessary evil.
If the Milwaukee Bucks are set on making room for Amir Coffey, fielding offers for Smith where they don't receive a player in return feels likely. It would be a tough blow for Milwaukee's youth movement and development department, but this is the position the Bucks have put themselves in. If they could net a second-round draft pick in return, that could be a valuable asset for future moves.
Of course, there's a chance the Milwaukee Bucks have something else lined up. Perhaps there is a trade where the Bucks clear roster room without moving Smith. There's simply no telling what the front office has mapped out. Whatever the case may be, keeping Coffey long-term should be on the agenda. Their next moves must take that into account.
Stay tuned for more Milwaukee Bucks analysis.