For the first time in a long time, the Milwaukee Bucks are about to enter a new season without a star player on their roster. Yet, all it takes is one trade to change that. In his latest Bleacher Report article talking about "sneaky" trade candidates, Greg Swartz mentioned Zion Williamson, and he even went so far as to name-drop the Bucks specifically as an intriguing suitor.
"An NBA front office with a three-point shooting center in need of some star power should be calling about Williamson. This list includes teams like the Milwaukee Bucks, Los Angeles Clippers and Sacramento Kings, as they can roll the dice on the 26-year-old's talent, especially if he continues to stay in good shape."
A Williamson-Bucks pairing would make sense
Swartz really hit the nail on the head here. The Milwaukee Bucks don't have a bona fide star on their roster at the moment, and adding one would make sense. Milwaukee has spent the last decade with rosters built around a physical force who dominates the interior and needs perimeter shooters near him at all times; why not target another one to keep that same blueprint?
There is no telling what a trade could look like, but in the aftermath, the Milwaukee Bucks would have a combination of Tyler Herro, Ryan Rollins, Myles Turner, Kel'el Ware, and AJ Green surrounding Zion, giving him the floor spacing he needs to keep defenses on their toes by either driving into the paint or kicking it out for an assist.
No one is saying he would be Giannis Antetokounmpo 2.0, but the plan has worked well before.
Williamson comes with his share of risks
When healthy, Williamson is one of the most dominant individual forces in the NBA. The problem is that he's often not healthy. The forward has played in just 276 regular season games across his six NBA seasons, which included missing an entire year due to a foot injury. He did play 62 matchups in 2025-26, the second most in his career, which is promising, but the risk is still there.
That goes without mentioning what it would likely even take to pry him away from the New Orleans Pelicans. Despite the injury woes, they almost certainly won't sell the former top pick for pennies on the dollar. Given that the Bucks were hesitant to fork over significant draft capital for Peyton Watson, they would likely hold the same stance on the oft-injured Williamson.
For now, this idea will likely just remain a pipe dream. The Bucks appear content with their roster as they head into the new season. Yet, if the opportunity ever presents itself, the Milwaukee Bucks could use a reclamation project like Zion Williamson. With contending a long shot for the time being, taking a big swing like this would be justifiable for Milwaukee.
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