In his new piece, HoopsHype insider Michael Scotto continued pouring gasoline on the fire regarding the Milwaukee Bucks' current aggressiveness on the trade market.
Scotto reiterates that Jon Horst, Milwaukee's general manager, has been incredibly aggressive on the trade front, working the phones constantly. The Bucks are clearly looking to make a deal, and a name mentioned elsewhere in Scotto's article could help them.
Per the NBA insider, Atlanta's Larry Nance Jr. is a noteworthy trade target, given his inconsistent role to begin the season. The Bucks should be on the phone with the Hawks.
Larry Nance Jr. would be a great fit in the Bucks' frontcourt
The Milwaukee Bucks have been on a roll lately, and one of the biggest reasons for that has been their resurgent play on defense. Players like Andre Jackson Jr. and AJ Green have given this team new life on that end, helping fuel this current win streak. One player who has been present for the win streak but not much of the defensive success is Bobby Portis.
Portis has never been much of a defender; that's no secret. In years past, it was easy to be forgiving because he was producing so well on offense, but his numbers have even dipped on that side of the ball this year. If the Bucks do move on from Portis, they should be seeking a defensive-minded big to take his place, and Larry Nance Jr. would be just that.
Standing at 6-foot-8 with a long 7-foot-2 wingspan, Nance is incredibly versatile, switching between power forward and center when the situation calls for it. He has the quickness and athleticism to take on players of all shapes and sizes on that side of things, something that Portis lacks. His versatility on that end would help him fit seamlessly next to Giannis Antetokounmpo or Brook Lopez.
Offensively, Nance has never averaged the gaudiest numbers, meaning some could argue that Portis offers more upside on that end. Yet, the big man is shooting 47.1 percent from distance over his last 70 games, showing tremendous growth on that end compared to early in his career. If he could bring that sweet shooting to Milwaukee, the big man would fit right in with the Bucks.
Financially, a Larry Nance Jr. ($11.2 million salary) for Bobby Portis ($12.8 million salary) swap does work for both parties. The finer details in terms of any additional capital would have to be ironed out, but the framework is there. If the Milwaukee Bucks truly want to beef up their frontcourt defense, then Nance is a worthwhile trade target they should certainly be doing their homework on.
Stay tuned for more Milwaukee Bucks analysis.