The Milwaukee Bucks and Golden State Warriors have been among the teams connected to forward Michael Porter Jr. ahead of the NBA Trade Deadline. Yet, if a bidding war ensues, one would think that the Bucks would now have the edge, given that ESPN's Shams Charania reports that the Warriors "have never shown real interest" in Porter. That could open a window of opportunity.
Bucks have the assets to be a real Michael Porter Jr. trade suitor
Described as two of the more aggressive teams pursuing trades, both the Bucks and Warriors are viable Porter suitors if they choose to be. Both franchises have the salaries and draft capital to be compelling trade partners with the Brooklyn Nets for what could be the most desirable player on the trade market.
There have been mixed reports on Brooklyn's willingness to move on from Porter. On the one hand, The Athletic's John Hollinger (subscription required) called Porter a "lock" to be moved. Meanwhile, NBA insider Marc Stein (subscription required) said he keeps hearing pushback on that. Either way, the Bucks will call to see if they can get their hands on the NBA Champion.
Any Porter to Milwaukee deal could hinge on the Bucks' willingness to dangle a first-round pick in negotiations. The Nets will undoubtedly have a high asking price for their star forward, who is now averaging 25.7 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 3.3 assists while shooting a blistering 40.1 percent from behind the arc. If the Bucks want a player like that, they will have to pay a steep price.
If the Milwaukee Bucks want to make an all-in move to salvage their season, if it's even possible at this point, trading for Porter feels like the move. For a team that has been undersized, lacking a true second option, and poor at rebounding this season, trading for Porter, who could help with all of those flaws, feels like the most obvious move.
One Michael Porter Jr. suitor not showing much interest increases Milwaukee's odds of landing him, but nothing is set in stone at this point.
This could all be a smokescreen from Golden State as well. Last season, when Jimmy Butler was on the market, The Athletic's Anthony Slater, Marcus Thompson II, and Sam Amick (subscription required) reported that Golden State was not viewed as a viable suitor for Butler last January. Yet, around a month later, they ended up acquiring him. Things change, and this latest development may as well.
Stay tuned for more Milwaukee Bucks analysis.