If the Milwaukee Bucks trade for Zach LaVine, plenty of fans hope Keon Ellis might be included in the deal as a bonus. However, it looks like that's not happening. Per NBA insider Marc Stein (subscription required), the Sacramento Kings do not intend to attach Ellis in a deal to sweeten any deal where they try to dump unwanted players, such as LaVine. That makes a deal far less captivating.
Bucks could have used Keon Ellis in a Zach LaVine trade
There's plenty to like about Ellis. He's a career 41.8 shooter from distance. He's a pest defensively and guards multiple positions. He's just 25 years old. He's making just $2.3 million this season. The Bucks don't necessarily need another guard, especially with how depleted they are at small forward, but anything could help at this point.
If Ellis isn't included as a bonus, a LaVine to Milwaukee deal gets far less enticing. Sure, the Bucks still get a 20-point scorer, which they could use in Giannis Antetokounmpo's absence, but he isn't doing a single thing to address their defensive woes. In fact, considering a deal would include moving on from Kyle Kuzma, trading for LaVine would make Milwaukee's defensive issues even more apparent.
On Sacramento's end, it's smart to hold off on including Ellis. With how dry the market currently is, Ellis could draw legitimate interest as a 3-and-D option for contenders. They could get a legitimate asset or two in exchange for him rather than using him as a throw-in.
In Ellis' place, perhaps the Kings could have offered some sort of draft compensation to get off the $47 million LaVine is owed this year and the $48 million he will take home next year, but that also will not be happening. Per Stein, the Kings have already told teams that they will not be including any of their picks in deals to move veterans. If you want him, take him. Simple.
A positive aspect of a LaVine trade is that the Bucks likely wouldn't have to attach draft capital to get him on the team, which could be ideal for a Milwaukee team largely deprived of meaningful assets.
Whether it's for Zach LaVine or not, the Milwaukee Bucks making a deal feels inevitable. The team has been on life support since Giannis Antetokounmpo went down, and things aren't getting any better as the games go on. As hope dwindles, this team needs a shot in the arm. If the losses keep piling up, things are going to get far uglier than they currently already are.
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