With the Memphis Grizzlies rumored to be listening to trade offers for Ja Morant, many have pitched the Milwaukee Bucks as a possible suitor. Sure, with how active the Bucks have been in trade rumors, it won't be surprising if they are linked to everyone who might be available. However, Morant isn't the target they should go after. Not when one could argue Kevin Porter Jr. has been better this year.
The Bucks don't need a struggling guard making nearly $40 million
Sure, the idea of trading for a multi-time NBA All-Star and former All-NBA honoree sounds enticing. However, Morant isn't that same player anymore. This season, he's averaging 19 points per contest, the fewest since his rookie season, while shooting 40.1 percent from the floor, which is a career low. He's been limited to just 18 games due to injury. His defense is atrocious. He makes $39.4 million.
Simply put, the juice likely isn't worth the squeeze with Morant, especially considering just how good Kevin Porter Jr. has been for the Milwaukee Bucks at a fraction of the cost.
Porter has dealt with his own injury issues, but since he's gotten healthy, he's been a major factor in Milwaukee's success. On the year, he's averaging 18.8 points, the second-most in his career, while tallying 7.7 assists and shooting 47.3 percent from the floor, both of which are career bests. With numbers comparable to Morant's, Porter is on the books for just $5.1 million this season.
In addition to the massive financial gap, Porter is also a better fit with Giannis Antetokounmpo, which is something that will factor into any trade discussions. Perimeter shooting isn't the end-all in terms of who fits with Giannis, but when one player is shooting 38 percent (Porter), and the other is one of the worst shooters in the NBA at 20.8 percent (Morant), it feels like an obvious choice.
The Milwaukee Bucks don't need Ja Morant. He'd make some exciting plays in transition, but that is about it. Milwaukee has given the keys in the backcourt to Kevin Porter Jr. and Ryan Rollins, and it should stay that way. As they canvass the market for help, the Bucks should be all in on finding help at the small forward position, an area they remain incredibly thin at.
The Bucks already tried the small guard experiment with Damian Lillard, and he was a much better fit with Milwaukee than Ja Morant could ever be. The days of having one-sided players are now over.
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