3 Possible Bucks trade targets off the board following Brook Lopez rumor
By Dalton Sell
Given that they are always one of the more active teams on the trade front, many are surprised that the Milwaukee Bucks have not made a trade this offseason.
Sure, the Bucks are limited by the second apron, and their draft capital stash is not as rich as it once was, but general manager Jon Horst always seems to find a way to get something done. One avenue many thought the Bucks would explore was trading veteran big man Brook Lopez, due to his age and sizeable contract of $23 million, allowing them to make a meaningful upgrade.
Yet, Horst shot down any thought of trading Lopez earlier this offseason, assuring everyone that the starting center would be sticking around in the 414. With Lopez off the market, the Bucks will have to take several high-profile trade targets off their big board. With that said, let us analyze three possible trade targets that should be crossed off if the Bucks plan on keeping Lopez.
Bruce Brown, Toronto Raptors
There was some chatter last season regarding the Bucks and Bruce Brown, who was traded to the Toronto Raptors in the blockbuster Pascal Siakam trade.
For a Milwaukee team that desperately needed more defensive versatility, Brown would have been a quality pickup. Despite standing at just 6-foot-4, he can cycle through different positions, logging 17 percent of his minutes at point guard, 78 percent at shooting guard and five percent at small forward last season, guarding players of all shapes and sizes in the process.
In addition to providing defense, Brown has Swiss Army Knife tendencies, rebounding, facilitating, shooting, hustling and doing all of the little things that make a team click. Furthermore, he has very valuable championship experience from his time with the Denver Nuggets, having played a key role in helping them take home the 2023 NBA Championship.
With their need for perimeter defense still prominent, many wondered if the Bucks would kick the tires on Brown this offseason. With a $23 million salary, he and Lopez will earn the same amount in 2024-25, so it would have been a seamless swap, but this rumor takes Brown off the list of possible options for the Milwaukee Bucks.