With trade rumors in full swing, Bucks eyeing free agent big man

There has been a lot of chatter about the Milwaukee Bucks shaking things up in the frontcourt lately.

Recent rumors suggest that the Bucks won't let nostalgia stand in their way of testing the market to gauge the value of 2021 NBA Champions Brook Lopez, Pat Connaughton and Bobby Portis. If they do make a trade, one of these three will almost certainly be involved due to the team's limited assets and their contracts.

No matter what they do, the Bucks could use another big body in the frontcourt, but that need will only be amplified if they move one of Lopez or Portis. Recent rumors suggest they are well aware, with The Athletic's Kelly Iko reporting that Milwaukee has eyes on free agent Daniel Theis.

What would Daniel Theis bring to the Milwaukee Bucks?

Standing at 6-foot-8, Theis isn't the typical towering NBA center. Yet, at his size, he's a more mobile big man than the Bucks are used to having, which could be very desirable, especially with rumors swirling per The Ringer's Kevin O'Connor that Milwaukee wants to play a more versatile style of defense next season.

As for his fit in Milwaukee, it always helps when a big man can space the floor to open up driving lanes for Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Theis could do that. He's coming off the second-best shooting year of his career, having hit 36.6 percent of his triples in 2023-24. If he could at least be respectable out on the perimeter, it would be a boost.

On a minimum contract, this would not be the worst move. The free agent center market is quite bare at the moment, so Milwaukee's options to bulk up their frontcourt depth are slim. Theis wouldn't be the flashiest name, but he'd be a fine big man with experience who could give this team a different type of player compared to Brook Lopez and Bobby Portis.

A shakeup in the rotation frontcourt could be coming soon as Day 3 of NBA Free Agency begins. Milwaukee currently has two roster spots open after the signing of Delon Wright, and it will be fascinating to see what they do with them.

Stay tuned for more Milwaukee Bucks analysis.