If the Milwaukee Bucks make any kind of swing before the trade deadline, Bobby Portis is likely heading out the door. If they trade Portis and do nothing to replace him, he will leave a void of backup minutes in the frontcourt. For promising two-way prospect Pete Nance, that could mean being thrust into the flames in a sink-or-swim scenario.
Nance already profiles as a "Baby B.P."
The former Northwestern Wildcat and Tarheel has been balling out in the G League, averaging 19 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 3.7 assists for the Wisconsin Herd. Throw in over a block and a steal per game, and impressive .537/.403/.789 shooting splits. It hasn't translated yet at the NBA level, but he has all the tools of a capable stretch big.
Nance hasn't had much of an opportunity for the Milwaukee Bucks, but he shot the ball well and showed solid rebounding ability in a handful of minutes across nine games. And in the case of a Portis trade, he might be the Bucks' only real substitute.
After Portis, Milwaukee does not have much bench depth in the frontcourt. Kyle Kuzma can play the four. Jericho Sims can fill in at the five. That's about it. Neither has the shooting to space the floor like Portis. Nance does.
What's more, making a serious trade would likely require combining Portis' and Kuzma's salaries. Depending on the player coming back, the Bucks could have a fairly large hole to fill and an even greater need for Nance.
Hopefully, striving to add a star, general manager Jon Horst does not make a move that leaves the rotation overly vulnerable. Even adding a bigger wing, however, would create a modest opening if Portis is involved in a trade package. Neither Sims nor Kuzma can fill a Portis-like role. To account for 10-15 minutes per night, simply giving Nance a shot would be the Bucks' best play.
That's a polite way of suggesting they push him off the deep end. With 30 NBA games under his belt, in some sense, he's already gotten his feet wet.
Nance has given the Bucks reason to believe he could stay afloat. Not just in G League play but with his limited NBA reps, certainly, he has earned more of a chance than he's had. The fit is there. At 6-foot-9, Nance is a bit undersized for a center, but he makes up for it with strong rebounding and explosiveness. He offers a world more offensively than Sims. With spacing issues already, more Sims minutes is the last thing the Milwaukee Bucks need.
Portis plays an important role on the team, but the Bucks would be smart to sell-high for the right return. If that means throwing Nance into the flames, so be it. Time to test his mettle.