Milwaukee Bucks general manager Jon Horst is never asleep at the wheel when it comes to scouting the market for trade upgrades.
Just days before the season, rumors were swirling that the Bucks were looking to move on from wing MarJon Beauchamp. It hasn't happened yet, but Horst is likely working the phones. As good as many may think this Milwaukee Bucks roster is, there is always room for improvement, and one player Horst is reportedly eying is someone he's very familiar with.
Per The Athletic's Kelly Iko, the Bucks are among a handful of contenders who have had talks with the representation of P.J. Tucker, who is currently awaiting a trade from the LA Clippers. Tucker etched his name in Milwaukee Bucks lore in 2021 by helping the franchise win its first title in 50 years, and Horst may be looking to bring him back for another go-round.
Bucks' Horst still likes bringing back former Milwaukee players
During his time running the show here, Horst has brought back former players on several occasions, with Wesley Matthews, George Hill and Robin Lopez serving as primary examples. Familiarity appears to be a key part of his thought process, and the idea of bringing back a savvy veteran championship forward who has hard-earned experience with a good chunk of this roster does fit that mold.
There are just several roadblocks and question marks in any possible Tucker reunion.
First and foremost, how much does he have left in the tank? He's 39, and in 28 games last season, the veteran averaged just 1.6 points, 2.5 rebounds and 0.6 assists. Sure, Tucker's greatest attribute has always been his defense, which doesn't show up on the stat sheet. Yet, can he bring that same level of tough defense that helped the Bucks win it all years ago? At this age, it's unclear.
Speaking of age, the Milwaukee Bucks were clearly too "old" and unathletic last season, which was a primary reason - health aside - they couldn't keep up with the Indiana Pacers in the playoffs. They did a great job of addressing this in the offseason by bringing aboard Delon Wright, Gary Trent Jr. and Taurean Prince, who are all relatively young, so this would feel like a step backward.
All of that goes without even mentioning the tricky financial situation. Tucker is making $11.5 million this season, which is no small number. To make matters more complicated, the Milwaukee Bucks are a second-apron team, so they cannot combine salaries in a trade. Are they going to trade Bobby Portis or Brook Lopez to get Tucker? Probably not.
Sure, even at his age, there's a chance P.J. Tucker could return to Milwaukee and provide toughness and some occasional perimeter defense. However, given the current state of the roster and the large second-apron obstacle, any deal is tough to imagine. This is likely a classic case of Jon Horst doing his due diligence as Milwaukee's general manager.
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