With 2025 underway, the NBA Trade Deadline is officially just over a month away, and all eyes are on the Milwaukee Bucks.
As they are every season, the Bucks are among the teams most active in the rumor mill. For months, insiders have let it be known that Milwaukee is hunting for upgrades. However, just like in 2024, not a lot of players have been linked to the team at this point.
Last season, it was a guessing game as to who the Bucks would end up with. That was the case so much that NBA insider Jake Fischer said that Patrick Beverley, who the Bucks ultimately traded for last season, was not even among the names he heard linked to the team prior to that.
Barring something unforeseen, it feels like it will be another guessing game as to who the Bucks might go after over the next month.
What do the Milwaukee Bucks need before the NBA Trade Deadline?
The one specific rumor making the rounds is that the Milwaukee Bucks would like to find a big man to complement Brook Lopez as a lob threat, as reported by Jake Fischer last month. However, no names were put to print, and that is likely due to the Bucks being tight-lipped.
Another big man would make sense for the Bucks, especially if they can get one who is capable of infusing some athleticism into the rotation. That has been a prominent weakness for the team this season, and based on Fischer's reporting, Milwaukee understands that.
If we are to play the guessing game, two names worth keeping an eye on - while they have not been connected to the team specifically - are Portland's Robert Williams III and Atlanta's Larry Nance Jr. Both offer the athleticism and defensive upside that could make them intriguing fits on this squad.
Yet, like last season, if the Bucks ultimately make a trade, it could be a player who was not even in the rumor circles. It was certainly a shock to most when Patrick Beverley became a Buck.
The next month should be fascinating for the Milwaukee Bucks, who are likely working the phones at the time of this writing, even if the insiders are not reporting on targets they're chasing. Jon Horst is always among the most active general managers, and there is no reason for him to shatter that mold this year.
Stay tuned for more Milwaukee Bucks analysis.