The Milwaukee Bucks are looking to make a splash on the trade market; that much has been made clear by the countless reports flooding in over the past few weeks. However, beyond that, there are not many answers. How much are they willing to cough up? Is there a particular position they are on the hunt for? Perhaps most importantly, how urgent are they? The vision is clear but vague.
Time will reveal all about the Milwaukee Bucks' trade plans
The front office knows Milwaukee is potentially on the clock with Giannis Antetokounmpo. More than ever before, rumors about him eyeing another spot to continue his career have persisted, so the team feels inclined to do something. With a 13-19 record, the Bucks are currently out of the Play-In picture, so one would think they'd want to pounce on something.
Yet, it seems like they are standing firm for the time being. Zach LaVine has been the name most linked to the Bucks in trade rumors, but there has reportedly been little chatter. Per Chris Haynes of NBA on Prime, the Bucks and Kings have had no concrete talks about LaVine. If the team wanted to make a splash, one would think there would at least be some dialogue.
Jon Horst, Milwaukee's general manager, isn't one to stand there with his hands in his pockets waiting for something to fall into his lap. He's making the calls, but outside of him being aggressive, there has been little information reported. As Milwaukee's season, and Giannis' future, hang in the balance, the Bucks might not be able to afford to wait things out and hope they get better.
Given how banged up they've been this season, the Milwaukee Bucks might at least want to see what they look like when fully healthy to assess the roster. In Saturday's victory over the Chicago Bulls, the Bucks rolled out a starting five of Porter, Rollins, Green, Antetokounmpo, and Turner. That could be the best five-man unit they have, so they may want to build up the sample size.
If they do start calling around, it will be interesting if reports leak regarding what they are looking for. Will a legitimate small forward be at the top of their wish list? Will they be willing to dangle their first round picks in 2031 or 2032 to get a prized player? Those are the unknowns.
The NBA Trade Deadline is in February. In theory, the Milwaukee Bucks have plenty of time to decide what they want to do. Perhaps Horst wants to see if there are better targets out there than LaVine or Jerami Grant. If the Bucks can go on a run and start stringing together wins, their patience will be far more justified. If not, they will have to crank the urgency up.
Stay tuned for more Milwaukee Bucks.