In a surprising update, the Milwaukee Bucks have explored Jericho Sims trade scenarios as a roster crunch looms, per insider Jake Fischer (subscription required). While a natural move to trim the roster down to 15 involves cutting Pete Nance, Fischer notes that the Bucks would actually like to keep him. If the team trades Sims and keeps Nance, it would show just how much faith they have in the latter.
Nance could become Bucks' third center
Sims is currently Milwaukee's third-string big man behind Myles Turner and Kel'el Ware. If the Bucks trade him, keeping Nance almost becomes essential unless the team has another plan to fill out the center rotation. Nance has traditionally played more power forward than center, but he can slide to the five when called upon, and the Bucks would likely use him in that role more without Sims.
Nance doesn't bring the same type of athleticism and presence as a lob threat, but he can still be a serviceable player for the Milwaukee Bucks. Starting out as a two-way player, Nance worked his way up from the G League and has always bought into whatever role he's been tasked with. Keeping him around would be another G League to NBA success story for the Bucks.
Sims trade chatter makes plenty of sense
It's reasonable that the Bucks are at least dangling Sims on the market. Plenty of teams could use an athletic big man who can rebound like few others. The Los Angeles Lakers, the team Fischer says the Bucks have had conversations with about a trade, are almost too good of a partner, as Sims would be a seamless fit catching lobs from Luka Doncic right at the rim.
While the chatter makes sense, Fischer does note that there is some pessimism surrounding whether a deal will actually go through. LA's current offer centers around Dalton Knecht and draft capital in the second-round range. Do the Bucks value that more than Sims? Unless other players are involved, that doesn't really help trim the roster down to 15 players, which is required.
Time will tell, but it's clear that no matter what, the Milwaukee Bucks want to keep Nance. That speaks to the work he's put in and the heights the team thinks he can reach. Keeping him amid the roster jam is easier said than done, but the Bucks are exploring options.
Stay tuned for more Milwaukee Bucks analysis.
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