New trade rumors suggest Bucks won't let nostalgia hinder thought process

General manager Jon Horst has always taken an aggressive approach when it comes to making tweaks to the Milwaukee Bucks.

Whether the moves he makes backfire or not, he's still never been shy about pushing all of his chips to the center of the table. It appears that will unsurprisingly be the case once again as the upcoming 2024 NBA Draft inches closer.

Yahoo Sports' Jake Fischer recently reported that the Bucks are open to reshaping their roster and are actively gauging Brook Lopez's trade value. HoopsHype's Michael Scotto added fuel to the fire of trade rumors by saying executives believe Pat Connaughton and Bobby Portis could also likely be had in the right deal.

Of course, all three of these veteran players were key cogs on the 2021 title-winning team. Despite their importance in capturing that championship, Horst isn't letting nostalgia stop him from dangling these three in trade talks, it appears.

The Bucks are shopping a handful of long-time players in trade talks

This news shouldn't be too surprising, considering the Bucks moved Jrue Holiday last off-season to acquire Damian Lillard, and he was a vital cog on that 2021 team. That move showed that if the right player is on the table, Horst won't let a player's past achievements prevent him from making a deal. That same notion holds true this off-season, it appears.

Of the bunch, Pat Connaughton seems to be the likeliest to be moved. He has a $9.4 million salary for next season, which is easily digestible for other parties and could allow the Bucks to get a solid piece in return. On top of that, Milwaukee already has several young players who could be ready to take the reigns from Connaughton in A.J. Green, MarJon Beauchamp and Andre Jackson Jr.

Portis is less likely unless the Milwaukee Bucks are getting a bonafide upgrade. There will be plenty of teams eyeing the big man, but Horst will not be simply giving him away. The same goes for Lopez, whose $23 million salary could be extremely useful in making a meaningful splash. Yet, if the Bucks pulled off a deal for a big fish, it would almost certainly mean the end of Lopez's time in Milwaukee.

In addition to these players, the team is also reportedly shopping the 23rd overall pick in the draft, which is far from surprising. Horst is exploring all avenues to potentially upgrade this roster around Giannis Antetokounmpo, Khris Middleton and Damian Lillard.

No matter what happens, these three will all be heroes for their efforts in 2021.

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