The Milwaukee Bucks must remake their roster to keep Giannis Antetokounmpo this offseason. They might have found some ideal trade targets to help them do so in New Orleans in Trey Murphy III and Herb Jones, as Yahoo Sports NBA insider Kevin O'Connor reports that no Pelican is untouchable this summer. Either of those two rising wings would give this team a massive shot in the arm.
Milwaukee could use Trey Murphy III or Herb Jones on the wing
For years, the Milwaukee Bucks have been hunting for wings who can help them in their quest to win another title. Well, Herb Jones is one of the best (and perhaps the most underrated) defenders in the NBA today. Murphy might not have that defensive prowess, but he just emerged as a legitimate wing scorer this past season, averaging 21.2 points per game. Both are beyond desirable targets.
On top of that, both are young. Murphy is 24, while Jones is 26. One of the primary objectives for the Milwaukee Bucks this offseason should be to get younger to keep up with the rest of the NBA after what just went down in the postseason, and either player would help achieve that goal.
Both are also on reasonable deals financially. Murphy will make $25 million next season, while Jones will take home $13.9 million. Depending on how things shake out regarding a handful of upcoming decisions Bucks players have to make on their player options, Milwaukee has the necessary salary to send to New Orleans for either.
The biggest potential roadblock for the Milwaukee Bucks could very well be winning a bidding war against other teams. Outside of Kevin Durant and possibly Giannis Antetokounmpo, these two may be the most in-demand trade targets of the summer. Though they have some assets, including an incredibly desirable 2031 first-round pick, the Bucks likely face an uphill battle in a bidding war.
That shouldn't stop them from trying. Getting an elite defensive player like Jones or a budding go-to scorer like Murphy could turn this Milwaukee team up a notch. A few years ago, the Bucks swung for the fences with a bold trade involving New Orleans for Jrue Holiday. Perhaps they can repeat things this offseason as they once again aim to assure their superstar they are willing to always be all-in.
If the Milwaukee Bucks can't pry either of these two from New Orleans, they should explore getting back some of their own picks from the aforementioned Jrue Holiday trade.
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