Barring something unforeseen, the Milwaukee Bucks will roll into the 2024-25 NBA season without having made a trade during the offseason.
Instead, they opted to make their big splashes through free agency, a change of pace compared to how they have operated over the past few years. With clear improvements made, general manager Jon Horst likely wants to see what this group has to offer before shaking things up further, and the second apron restrictions looming over him don't make things any easier.
If they hold off on a trade for the time being, it won't be shocking when they are mentioned as one of the most active teams leading up to the 2025 NBA Trade Deadline. Horst is known to leave no stone unturned in his pursuit of upgrades. If the team shows signs of struggle or a major hole in the roster with the deadline is on the horizon, he will likely aim to address it with a trade.
Canvasing the market, there aren't a ton of names who could be categorized as realistic targets for the Milwaukee Bucks, but one name worth monitoring is Ayo Dosunmu.
Ayo Dosunmu should be on Bucks' trade wish list
Youth, athleticism, scoring, shooting, playmaking, defense, and a reasonable contract: Ayo Dosunmu has it all in terms of what the Milwaukee Bucks should be searching for in any possible new addition. There's a reason he's been linked to the team in so many mock trades and scenarios in their pursuit of more upgrades to the roster.
By far his most desirable attribute is his defense. At 6-foot-5 with a 6-foot-10.25 wingspan, the guard has a unique build that has allowed him to blossom into a strong defender. Even at just 24 years old, he developed into a primary defender for the Chicago Bulls this past season, oftentimes taking on the toughest opposing guard.
His matchup data from NBA.com/stats is beyond eye-catching. Milwaukee's Damian Lillard shot just 4-of-16 (25 percent) with Dosunmu as his primary defender. Rising 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey shot a mere 4-of-11 (36.4 percent) in the same situation. Cleveland's Donovan Mitchell was 6-of-16, (37.5 percent) when being hounded by the guard. Dosunmu loves the challenge and holds his own well.
It goes without saying that a defensive-minded combo guard such as Dosunmu could help the Bucks, who need as much help on the perimeter as possible. The additions of Prince and Wright were set to make the Bucks stronger and more versatile defensively already, but bringing Dosunmu into the fold would turn that up a notch further.
In addition to his excellent defensive output, Dosunmu just had a career year on offense, averaging a career-high 12.2 points while shooting 40.3 percent from three. Another strong scoring and shooting threat off the bench would certainly be of use to the Milwaukee Bucks.
Outside of everything that was just explained, one of the reasons Dosunmu has to be high on the Bucks' wish list is that he's reasonable from a financial perspective. The second apron leaves the Milwaukee Bucks unable to combine salaries or take back more money than they are sending out in a trade, meaning their options to find a true upgrade are slim at the time of this writing.
With a $7 million salary for the 2024-25 NBA season, he's on a reasonable deal. In theory, the Bucks could do a one-for-one swap with Pat Connaughton's $9.4 million salary. Of course, just offering the veteran guard would get the Milwaukee Bucks nothing but a hang-up from the Bulls, but it does work from a financial point of view.
If the Chicago Bulls, who underwent big changes this offseason by moving on from DeMar DeRozan and Alex Caruso and are seemingly still trying to move Zach LaVine, are willing to enterain offers for the young guard, the Bucks do have some interesting picks. One could undoubtedly make the case that Dosunmu would be worth Milwaukee's 2031 first round pick.
Is Connaughton and Milwaukee's 2031 pick enough to catch Chicago's eye? It's unknown, but as the upcoming season progresses, the Bucks should aim to find out.
For now, the focus is camp and preseason.
Stay tuned for more Milwaukee Bucks analysis.