On Tuesday, NBA insider Jake Fischer wrote (subscription required) that the Milwaukee Bucks' front office is "messaging that it wants to be buyers at this deadline" to keep Giannis Antetokounmpo around. Eric Nehm of The Athletic reported on Monday that the organization was telling teams they wanted to add to their roster.
Fischer added that he spoke with a rival general manager who said the Bucks are going "big-game hunting." You might be wondering how that's possible, since Milwaukee has only one first-round pick it can trade before the deadline. It's not like the team has much cap space, either.
So, what is the Bucks' solution? As Nehm first reported, the team is interested in Zach LaVine. He is one of several veterans in Sacramento who should be available before the deadline, and there is a reason you haven't read about other teams lining up to trade for him. His contract is an issue, but given Milwaukee's position, taking on that contract is one of the things the team can do.
Fischer also listed Portland's Jerami Grant, Miami's Andrew Wiggins, Los Angeles' Marcus Smart, and New Orleans' Dejounte Murray as other players that the Bucks could pursue, given their past interest.
Bucks are signaling that they want to be buyers at the deadline
Fischer added that every team he has spoken with believes that Milwaukee should try to trade Giannis before he asks out. He hasn't formally requested a trade, but that is the route that everyone, except the Bucks, expects him to take.
For now, it seems like Milwaukee is in desperation mode to keep Giannis, but that same strategy didn't work in the team's favor over the summer. The Bucks waived and stretched the remainder of Damian Lillard's contract to sign Myles Turner to a four-year deal. Not only will they have to pay Lillard for the next five years, but Turner hasn't lived up to the hype.
Trading for LaVine could quickly turn into yet another move that Milwaukee regrets, and that is only if Giannis decides he wants to hang around in Wisconsin past the deadline. His injury status could play a factor in his trade availability, too. If he is still with the Bucks past Feb. 5, the trade frenzy will briefly pause before picking up again over the offseason.
As Fischer noted, Milwaukee can change its stance over the next few weeks. Hopefully, for the sake of the fans, the team will. Don't make this any harder than it already is.