3 Possible Bucks trade targets off the board following Brook Lopez rumor

Marcus Smart, Memphis Grizzlies

Last season, Yahoo! Sports' NBA insider Jake Fischer reported that the Milwaukee Bucks contacted the Memphis Grizzlies about a deal for defensive stalwart Marcus Smart. Memphis obviously turned them down, but Horst is known to be persistent with targets he likes. However, with Lopez out of the equation, the odds of getting Marcus Smart are slimmer than they already were.

Smart would be a perfect fit on this Milwaukee team. A former Defensive Player of the Year, he'd bring the defensive intensity and versatility this team lacked last year. Next to Damian Lillard, they'd form a lethal one-two punch in the backcourt, with Lillard bringing the offensive firepower while Smart adds strong defense against some of the best in the business.

Of course, it will also add some fuel to the fire whenever the Bucks play the Boston Celtics, Smart's former squad that currently employs former Milwaukee Bucks guard Jrue Holiday.

With a $20.2 million salary for 2024-25, Smart could easily be moved for Brook Lopez from a financial perspective, so that would not have been an issue. However, with Lopez off the table, the Bucks have no other player outside of their Big 3 whose salary would work. The odds of Smart ending up with the Milwaukee Bucks always seemed slim, but now, they are almost non-existent.