The Athletic's Sam Vecenie recently appeared on the Game Theory Podcast w/ Sam Vecenie and spoke about the Milwaukee Bucks potentially being candidates to enter the Ja Morant sweepstakes.
"Milwaukee could obviously theoretically look into deals like this," Vecenie said. "I think that Kuzma, Porter Jr. and Gary Harris gets them to the necessary number that they need. But if I'm Memphis, I'm asking for either Ryan Rollins or their 2031 first [round pick], and I don't know that Milwaukee wants to give that up for Ja Morant, when Morant is not a guarantee."
Vecenie makes several good points here. It's clear that the Bucks are in a situation where they need to get Giannis Antetokounmpo some additional reinforcements, and fast. Number 34 is still at the peak of his game, playing like an MVP once again, and he doesn't seem to have any interest in heading elsewhere. He's committed to trying to make Milwaukee a city of champions once again.
But the question of whether Morant would be a good fit with this team is a very reasonable one. He's not playing at anywhere close to the level he was at a few seasons ago. And while the Bucks might be able to get him at a decently low price considering that, it seems far from a certainty that he would be what Milwaukee needs.
Ja Morant could be a target for Milwaukee
Morant's burst and quickness off the bounce is no longer a game-changer. He's still athletic, but he's not an anomaly anymore. Now, he's just another athletic player in this league, not part of the 1% like he used to be.
That's important to recognize for a Bucks team that's going to need to be very picky about who they choose to add at the deadline. Every move they make must be tailored around making life easier for Giannis. Milwaukee doesn’t need another ball-dominant question mark, they need guys who can be good complements to Antetokounmpo and force defenses to scramble when 34 draws a double.
Giving up a first-rounder for Morant only makes sense if he clearly raises the ceiling. Right now, that feels like a bet on who Morant used to be, not who he’s been recently. For a team clearly needing to knock their next move out of the park, that’s a dangerous gamble.
The Bucks are absolutely right to explore every avenue while Giannis is still playing at this level. But urgency isn't the same thing as recklessness. If Ja Morant isn’t a clean fit or a sure upgrade, Milwaukee would be better off keeping its flexibility and looking for moves that are going to have a higher chance to work.