Ryan Rollins is struggling. There's no doubt about that whatsoever. However, that doesn't mean the Milwaukee Bucks should trade him. With rumors from HoopsHype's Michael Scotto suggesting that the Memphis Grizzlies covet Rollins in any Ja Morant to Milwaukee trade discussions, there's a good chance the Bucks are weighing trading their breakout guard, especially amid this slump.
They shouldn't. Not one bit.
Bucks must hang onto Ryan Rollins as Ja Morant trade talks loom
Over his last four games, Rollins has looked like a deer in headlights. He's averaging just 7.3 points, four assists, and 0.5 steals per contest while shooting 22.7 percent from the floor, including a ugly 13.6 percent from the floor. He's struggling, but should the Milwaukee Bucks abandon ship on their young rising guard just because of a few bad games? Of course not.
This is a player who had been averaging 17 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 1.5 steals while shooting a red-hot 47.4 percent from the floor, including 41.2 percent from long distance, before this stretch. Does a poor four-game stretch erase all of that? It shouldn't. At 23, playing a prominent role for the first time in his NBA career, a slump was bound to happen at some point.
Now, is Ryan Rollins completely off the table? If the Milwaukee Bucks are getting a legitimate needle tipper in return, sure, they could reasonably listen. However, Ja Morant is not that. While he boasts the name recognition, the guard is having a season to forget, averaging 19 points (second-fewest of his career) while having one of the worst 3-point shooting seasons of all time.
To top it off, the guard has only appeared in 18 games due to injury. Do the Milwaukee Bucks, who are looking to prove to Giannis Antetokounmpo that they can turn this disastrous season around within the next few weeks, think that trading for a guard who is not healthy is the answer? That would be a bold swing, given how significantly this team has been held back by injuries in recent years.
For years, the Milwaukee Bucks have struggled to find young contributors. Free agent signings and draft picks have consistently come and gone. However, the team suddenly stumbled upon one in Ryan Rollins, and they'd be foolish to move him so quickly. He's not perfect, but with numbers similar to Morant, better health, and one of the best contracts in the NBA, he makes a lot more sense.
If the Milwaukee Bucks can acquire Morant without giving up Rollins, a deal still isn't the cure to the team's many issues, but it makes the decision more justifiable.
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