All of a sudden, it is January 2024, and a hectic time for the NBA is right around the corner. The trade deadline is less than a month out, and several teams will likely make deals in an attempt to improve their squads. One of the best parts of the deadline is seeing which of the major contenders, such as the Milwaukee Bucks, improves the most.
Oftentimes, the trades these said contenders make are just slight wrinkles to the roster, but sometimes these slight moves are of the most magnitude to already top-heavy teams. I will be grading one of the six mock trades for the Bucks proposed by Behind the Buck Pass' own Dalton Sell. This is a mock deal between the Toronto Raptors and Milwaukee Bucks.
The odds of a full-out fire sale in Toronto have been increasing by the day. A top-to-bottom rebuild could be brewing for the Raptors at or before the deadline. OG Anunoby was dealt away to the Knicks in exchange for some young pieces, and with the interest Pascal Siakam has been drawing league-wide, another package of picks and players could be in Toronto's future.
This deal sees the Bucks acquiring young, lengthy wing Jalen McDaniels and veteran forward Otto Porter Jr. in exchange for Pat Connaughton, AJ Green, and two second-round picks, including one from this upcoming offseason.
Draft picks are very meager for the Bucks, and getting rid of them would be a tough decision to make. On the contrary, if you watch the Bucks play consistently, you know they have trouble defensively. A large part of these struggles stem from personnel, so any trade where Milwaukee can upgrade defensively has me listening and should have Horst listening, too.
Pat Connaughton has drawn a liking from fans over the years, but it might be best for both sides to move on sooner rather than later. Losing the familiarity and experience Connaughton brings to Milwaukee may take some time to adapt to. The pros outweigh the cons when it comes to involving Connaughton in this trade or ones similar to it.
Milwaukee's perspective on this mock trade
The struggle has been real over the last six games for the Bucks. Dropping four of the last six will create some tension amongst the fanbase. Milwaukee has hit a rough patch, but that does not take away what this team was able to accomplish beforehand. Almost every team hits a rough patch at some point.
Milwaukee receives some defensive reinforcements in Jalen McDaniels and Otto Porter Jr. in this deal. The Bucks' defense has been pretty horrific at times this year and anything to help improve that could be a win for this team. Jalen McDaniels has not seen much of a consistent role in his time with Toronto despite looking good in his 56 apperances with the Hornets in 2022-2023.
Every time I watch McDaniels play, he seems like a guy that could help any bench. He has not been able to get a rhythm going this season with such spotty minutes and performance. When he is on the court, McDaniels hustles and defends well and can occasionally get hot offensively. Is his production worth two players and two second-rounders? I don't know; that depends on what McDaniels you are getting.
I believe if he played for Milwaukee, he and most wings like that would fit well. Porter Jr. has found himself in the same boat as McDaniels in terms of playing time, but they are on opposite ends of their careers. I'm not sure Otto Porter Jr. will be a huge help to anyone at this point in his career, but he would offer Milwaukee another experienced and able-bodied player for their bench, and who knows, maybe Otto's shooting could help Milwaukee, too.
As I stated before, losing Pat Connaughton isn't as big of a hit as some people act, but losing out on two second-round picks is significant for the Bucks. AJ Green can shoot the lights out, but if they can improve at the expense of a guy who rarely plays, then they probably should at this point.
Toronto's perspective on this trade
As I said before, a full-on fire sale is a real possibility for Toronto as we get closer and closer to the trade deadline. Jalen McDaniels and Otto Porter Jr. aren't big pieces of what Toronto has going on, so a deal involving these two players seems realistic.
The return Toronto is getting for two players with minimal roles on their team is excellent. The Raptors would receive Pat Connaughton, AJ Green, and two second-round picks, including a 2024 second via Portland. The shooting and the small second-round stockpile would be very beneficial to them.
While Jalen McDaniels and Otto Porter Jr. can still help certain teams, there is not much of a role for them in Toronto. Acquiring two picks and two borderline rotational players for guys who have struggled to find their identity would be a big win for Toronto, but certainly nothing needle-moving.
More and more talent is coming into the NBA annually, so the 2024 second-rounder adds further incentive to this deal. The positioning of the pick is obviously unknown, and some consider most second-round picks to be dice rollers, but this could be a great opportunity for the Raptors to identify some sleeper talent in the draft and find a guy who can help them off the bat.
There are several advantages Toronto would find themselves in if they made this deal, with more draft capital being the biggest. Both teams are getting a little bit of what they desire in this deal. The Bucks are getting defensive upgrades, and Toronto is getting picks and a couple of wing shooters.
The grade on this deal between the Bucks and Raptors
This deal is nothing seismic but rather a quick deal for the Bucks to improve defensively and try to curb their serious struggles on that end. If just upgrading defensively is the purpose of this trade, then the Bucks are hitting a home run. Green and Connaughton are not very strong on the defensive end, while McDaniels specializes on that end, and Porter Jr. can hold his own.
The draft picks given away in this deal would be the biggest factor. Are the players you are getting worth two second-round picks? Based on the numbers and how these guys have played this season, the answer would be no, but if you know the NBA, you know a change of scenery or role can help a player in ways never imagined.
The real question is, what kind of Jalen McDaniels are you going to get? The one who looks engaged on the defensive end and ready to shoot when called upon? That is all the Bucks would really need from him, considering the state of their defense. There are a lot of questions involving this deal, and it would be a risky one for the Bucks. Although, dressing defense in any way is a positive for this squad.
It may seem like trading these picks for certain players would be ideal for Milwaukee, but it definitely addresses some needs. If you look at the trade in terms of players, the Bucks are giving up Connaughton for McDaniels and Green for Porter Jr., which would both be upgrades. It really depends on how you look at this trade and how you value those picks.
BTBP Grade: C+