Rumors are swirling that the Milwaukee Bucks are actively calling around the NBA trying to make a deal to give them a spark amid a 4-8 spark.
With the Bucks shackled by a lack of assets and the second apron restrictions, any deal is far easier said than done. Still, that has not stopped people from trying to propose their own mock trades that could make some sense for the Milwaukee Bucks. Some are more feasible than others, so let us now break down and rank three mock trades
No. 3 - Bucks and Rockets swap forwards (Via Bleacher Report)
This mock trade comes from Bleacher Report's Dan Favale.
On paper, Dillon Brooks and Tari Eason are certainly players who could help a Bucks team that needs athletic perimeter defenders. Brooks, an All-Defensive honoree, has made a living guard some of the best talent in the league nightly. Meanwhile, Eason is currently having a breakout year, flashing major signs of two-way potential. Both players would also help the aging Milwaukee Bucks get younger.
This comes in third because both teams likely have issues with it. For Houston, they'd be giving up on two key players for a veteran who is currently battling the injury bug. The pick would be solid, but it's a way down the road. For the Bucks, trading away that pick and Middleton for a non-star would be quite the gamble for a team that is all-in on winning now. This trade would have to hit.
Both teams would have some hesitancy.
No. 2 - Bucks add more versatility, defense (Via Behind the Buck Pass)
Scouting for ways to patch the Milwaukee Bucks' holes in the frontcourt, Behind the Buck Pass' own Tyler Schickert crafted this deal.
With Bobby Portis struggling so mightily this season, especially defensively, swapping him for Nance would make some sense. The Hawks forward is having a red-hot start to the season, knocking down a blistering 73.7 percent of his triples while playing quality defense. Having a versatile defender who's capable of holding his own would certainly help a Milwaukee team starving for more stout defenders.
This trade likely doesn't go through due to a roadblock on Atlanta's end. With Bobby Portis struggling and Nance thriving, it would make little sense for the Hawks to do a straight-up one-for-one swap. If the Milwaukee Bucks were to offer both Portis and their 2031 second round pick, perhaps it would be more enticing to Atlanta.
No. 1 - Bucks lend Thunder a hand (Via Behind the Buck Pass)
This writer created this mock trade in wake of Chet Holmgren's unfortunate injury in Oklahoma City.
The Thunder are currently down two centers, with Holmgren set to miss around two months and free agent signing Isaiah Hartenstein still working toward making his season debut. This team could use a boost in the frontcourt, and adding a back-to-back Sixth Man of the Year finalist would make sense to some degree. They'd move two non-consistent rotational players and a second for an impact piece.
For the Bucks, not only do they get their own second back, but they also add an athletic big man who can give them some needed defense down low in Robert Williams. Portland would deal Williams for a veteran forward and a former lottery pick in Dieng, a young player they could look to unlock and give legitimate minutes.
There is something here for all three parties.
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