Bucks guards making it clear the team doesn't need Zach LaVine

Kevin Porter Jr. and Ryan Rollins were a big reason the Milwaukee Bucks snapped an eight-game road losing streak Tuesday night in Indiana. Between them, the Bucks' backcourt mates supplied 47 points, 13 rebounds, nine assists, and four steals. Both are having breakout seasons. 

The Bucks could use another producer, but trading for Zach LaVine is not the move to make. With other issues at hand, the roster doesn't need another scoring guard. Porter and Rollins have made that much clear.

Bucks' dynamic duo should point front office in another direction 

That was not so evident just several weeks ago before Porter returned from injury and blew away even Bucks fans' high hopes. In nine December games, he has averaged 22.3 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 8.2 assists on 50.4/46.2/80.4 shooting splits. Turnovers are a problem, but Porter has returned the favor on defense with 2.7 steals per game. Just twice this month has he failed to reach 20 points; in one of those games, he posted a triple-double. He looks like a borderline All-Star.

Relative to expectations, Rollins' rise might be even more surprising: 17.2 points and 5.8 assists per game, shooting 47.9 percent from the field and 38.7 percent from three. Compared to last season, he is averaging 11 more points and attempting nine more shots per game. His full-court defense is a weapon. The Rollins leap year is here and in full bloom.

That's not to say that LaVine would add nothing to the team. Before tweaking his ankle, the Kings guard was averaging 20.2 points on 62 percent true shooting. Would the Bucks take LaVine as their 6-foot-5 guard-wing over Gary Trent Jr.? In a heartbeat. But that's not how the trade would work. 

Getting LaVine would likely mean giving up Kyle Kuzma, their only big wing. All that does is exacerbate the roster's most glaring issue. Milwaukee has been eaten alive by forwards all season. What they need is a playmaking wing with size, not another undersized one like LaVine. 

With Rollins and Porter producing like they are, LaVine would be a redundant fit. Inserting him in the rotation could also cause significant confusion; the Bucks moved Rollins to the bench to maximize his production alongside Porter since the latter's return. Would Porter and LaVine gel as starters? What would that mean for Rollins' minutes off the bench? Adding another ball-dominant guard would only make the calculus harder. 

Accordingly, if the Bucks make a trade, they must allocate their limited movable salaries and scant assets wisely. Based on roster need and positional fit, turning Kuzma into Andrew Wiggins or even Dillon Brooks would make a lot more sense.