Many fans and analysts are expecting the Milwaukee Bucks to make a move ahead of the upcoming 2025 NBA Trade Deadline.
For months, the Bucks have been involved in rumors, and in what has become tradition, it feels like they will do something. What that something is currently remains to be seen, but our staff here at Behind the Buck Pass has their share of ideas. With that said, let us analyze some question marks while answering them as the trade deadline nears.
What's the Bucks' biggest need at the 2025 NBA Trade Deadline?
Dalton Sell (@sell_dalton): Athleticism at center. We've seen the Bucks find success by adding more athletic players into the rotation because they can keep up with younger, faster teams. The one major weak point in this regard is at center, as Brook Lopez and Bobby Portis are not the quickest on their feet, and opposing players can blow by them on the perimeter. A mobile, athletic big would help.
Will Moxon (@moxon_will): The biggest need for the Bucks has to be an athletic big off the bench. It's still a constant issue that Lopez struggles with, and there is no other option off the bench.
Franco Luna (@bucksgotnext): The Milwaukee Bucks' biggest need at the 2025 NBA Trade Deadline is undoubtedly a defensive stopper at the wing position, but I'd actually like to see them go for an athletic big who can protect the rim, stretch the floor and serve as a lob threat alongside Giannis. The Bucks already have Andre Jackson Jr. to defend the point of attack, but they don't have much verticality outside of Antetokounmpo. I'd really like to see how that added dimension can affect their middling offensive rating at the moment.
Aitor Darias (@aitor_darias): The Bucks need a backup big who can cover Brook Lopez's flaws and play in matchups Lopez struggles with. That mainly means an athletic and quick center who doesn't rely as much on being close to the rim and feels more comfortable out of the paint.
Tyler Schickert (@tschicket13): The Bucks' biggest need is a reliable backup big man who can defend. Bobby Portis is a fan favorite, but his inconsistency is too apparent to be able to rely on him night in and night out.
Which Milwaukee Buck is the likeliest to get dealt at the trade deadline?
Sell: Pat Connaughton. There's a case for a couple of others, but given Connaughton's hefty contract and him falling out of the rotation when the team is healthy, it makes sense if they were trying hard to move him. If the Milwaukee Bucks can swap out Connaughton for an impact piece at center or on the wing, it would be a big win for the roster.
Moxon: The likeliest to get dealt is Pat Connaughton for me. Him being out of the lineup completely makes me think him over Bobby Portis. Connaughton's salary is big enough to make a decent move, and Portis still has games where he looks really good and then will follow it up with a dud of a performance, which is extremely frustrating to watch.
Luna: I think Beauchamp is most likely to get traded solely because he is the Bucks' asset with the most trade value at the moment, given his youth. It's not hard to see him thriving in a different environment that gives him more opportunities. I was initially inclined to say Portis on this one, but day after day it just seems like the Bucks front office isn't that open to doing so.
Darias: It feels like Pat Connaughton won't be a Buck after this trade deadline. If they want to make an impactful trade, they need to get under the second apron first, and sending him on a salary dump feels like the easiest way to do it.
Schickert: The Milwaukee Bucks players most likely to get dealt at the deadline are the ones most often brought up, MarJon Beauchamp and Pat Connaughton.
Which target is at the top of your wish list for the Milwaukee Bucks?
Sell: I toyed with the Jimmy Butler idea for a while, but it feels like he's off the table. It feels like there will be a smaller move on the table for Milwaukee, and in that case, Nick Richards feels like a nice bet. He's a young, mobile big who could provide needed defense and athleticism at center. He's also on a cheap deal, so the Milwaukee Bucks wouldn't have to gut a big chunk of their roster.
Moxon: Robert Williams III still intrigues me, but that would mean moving Portis, and the injury bug is still a worry with Williams. Cody Martin has really impressed me with the Charlotte Hornets and has shown what he could bring to a contender, so he is right there alongside Williams on my wish list.
Luna: The target I'd like to see most on the Bucks is Larry Nance Jr. Not only is he the most attainable one out there in my view, but he's also the acquisition that helps the team most tangibly and predictably. He's maybe one of the few bigs around the association that does everything I mentioned earlier and more.
Darias: Trading for Robert Williams III is as risky as a trade can get, but it's a risk the Bucks need to take at this point. If there's a way for them to get him, they have to try and take care of him since he can make the team one of the best defenses in the league once again.
Schickert: My biggest trade target is Brandon Clarke. Swapping Bobby Portis for Brandon Clarke and a second-round pick would help the Bucks in multiple ways. Clarke could back up Brook Lopez and give the Milwaukee Bucks the athletic lob threat they've been looking for.
Stay tuned for more Milwaukee Bucks analysis.