To date, the trade target that the big-game hunting Milwaukee Bucks have been linked to the most in the rumor mill is Sacramento Kings wing Zach LaVine. Sure, LaVine could help offensively, but he has always been a subpar defender. Adding a one-way player to the mix may cause more problems than it's worth. That's why the Bucks must go after someone like Andrew Wiggins, who can help both ways.
Bucks should be looking at two-way pieces
The NBA has become a league of two-way versatility. If you can't score, teams will exploit that. If you can't play defense, teams will exploit that. The best teams are those that don't have to hide players because they lack on one side of the ball. As gifted as he is offensively, LaVine isn't helping solve the Bucks' inability to guard big wings as another 6-foot-5 guard.
Andrew Wiggins, on the other hand, could be just what the doctor ordered. All season, wings have punished the undersized Bucks, but bringing in a tall, lengthy forward like Wiggins could help add a legitimate defensive weapon. On top of that, Wiggins is also capable of putting points on the board, averaging over 16 per game this season. He'd make a world of difference for the Milwaukee Bucks.
Luckily for Milwaukee, Wiggins may be available. Per HoopsHype insider Michael Scotto, the Heat have gauged the market on their small forward. It hasn't been reported that the Bucks have called about him, but it feels like a reasonable guess, given that fellow insider Jake Fischer (subscription required) reported that the Bucks regularly contacted the Warriors about Wiggins in the past.
If the Milwaukee Bucks could get their hands on him, he'd make much more of an impact than some of the other names they've been linked to, such as Jerami Grant and Zach LaVine.
The question is whether or not the Heat might be willing to deal with Milwaukee. Everyone knows that Miami is among the most obvious Giannis Antetokounmpo trade suitors. They likely don't want to do anything that is going to help keep Giannis in town. However, perhaps they'd feel more inclined to do so if the Bucks included some draft capital, which they would be able to offer back if Giannis were to hit the market anytime soon.
The Milwaukee Bucks will do something. Jon Horst swinging for the fences is nothing new, and the general manager will seemingly try to do it once again. LaVine seems like his main focus right now, but there are better options out there, with Andrew Wiggins being the most clear-cut.
Stay tuned for more Milwaukee Bucks analysis.