Once he is eligible to be traded in mid-December, Amir Coffey will be placed under a microscope. Coffey seemed destined for a prominent role in Milwaukee, with some calling him one of the most under-the-radar signings of the entire NBA offseason. However, things quickly went down a different path, with the forward being booted from the rotation for not standing out enough.
Bucks could shed Coffey to open roster room or fuel a bigger trade
The Coffey signing had so much initial promise. What's not to like about a lengthy small forward who just averaged a career best 9.7 points while shooting over 40 percent from deep? For a team that was depleted at the small forward spot even before Taurean Prince's neck injury, Coffey had a great shot to prove his value. Yet, he did just the opposite in a stunning turn of events.
In 15 games, Coffey is averaging 1.6 points, 0.9 rebounds, and 0.5 assists per game while shooting 33.3 percent from deep. Whenever he played, he just sort of existed. He'd get the occasional board under the hoop or dish it to someone, but he never truly leapt off the page like he was expected to. His scoring numbers reflect that, as he was essentially a non-factor.
With how everything has gone, it would be shocking if Coffey remained on the roster for long after he becomes trade-eligible. On a minimum salary, trading the forward won't net Milwaukee a huge return, but he could be useful in a bigger trade.
For instance, the Bucks are rumored to be doing homework on Sacramento guard Zach LaVine, and a trade would require Kyle Kuzma, Bobby Portis, and one minimum-salary player. Given how things have gone this season, it wouldn't be surprising if Coffey were the player to be attached in a deal.
While that would make the most sense, the Milwaukee Bucks flat-out dumping Coffey's salary to a team that could take him in also shouldn't be ruled out. If the Bucks want to free up a roster spot in the near future, perhaps for an eventual buyout candidate, they could trade Coffey with nothing in return. It's not as exciting, but it's realistic.
Despite his poor showing early this season, Coffey still might be enticing. There is no such thing as too much wing depth in today's NBA, and teams could always use someone like him. Only time will tell how the Milwaukee Bucks proceed.
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