3 Sizeable roadblocks the Milwaukee Bucks face in upgrading their roster

The Bucks' have few trade targets with their current situation

With Brook Lopez rumored to be staying put in Milwaukee, the Bucks' top three trade candidates are now Pat Connaughton, Bobby Portis and MarJon Beauchamp. Yet, outside of Pat Connaughton, their contract situations create some issues.

Portis will make $12.6 million this coming season. There really aren't too many players on the market who could realistically be available or make this team better by moving Portis. Remember, the Bucks would have to trade Portis by himself and receive a player who makes the same or less than he does. More fitting names could surface in time, but now, the market is bare.

With a $2.7 million salary for 2024-25, MarJon Beauchamp won't net the Milwaukee Bucks anything significant in a trade. The dream scenario would be somehow convincing the Sacramento Kings to trade Keon Ellis for him, perhaps with that added draft capital, but even then, it seems like the Kings would hang up the phone in a hurry.

That leaves Connaughton. He has a decently-sized salary of $9.4 million, and with his play declining over the past several years, the Bucks may be wise to move him to find an upgrade. If they attached their first or second-round pick or both, perhaps they could make a meaningful move, but that is the one option they currently have that is realistic as they scout for more roster upgrades.

It won't be easy, but Jon Horst has an Executive of the Year Award for a reason. He's made plenty of strong moves over the years, and while it will be far more challenging to navigate moving forward, he still has some assets to make a deal for the Milwaukee Bucks.

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