The reigning champions in the Milwaukee Bucks are fourth in the Eastern Conference playoff race and en route to another run at the championship. They’ve had their fair share of difficulties this season, however, especially with the injury to Brook Lopez. More than that, the Eastern Conference is also beefed up. The Miami Heat and Chicago Bulls are balling out, meanwhile, the Brooklyn Nets are a major contender when healthy. Other teams, such as the Philadelphia 76ers and Cleveland Cavaliers, are dark horses as well. Milwaukee can stand pat at the trade deadline and remain an amazing team, but they should also look into possibly improving.
Milwaukee Bucks: Three Trade Ideas
Evening Out the Roster
The trade: Milwaukee sends Donte DiVincenzo to the Denver Nuggets for Zeke Nnaji and the Isaiah Hartenstein trade exception.
Milwaukee can use some added front-court depth, and Nnaji is looking more and more like a very solid player. He’s averaging close to seven points and four rebounds per game, and he’s just 21-years-old. In addition, he has two more years on his contract after this season. He’s also developing a three-point stroke, making him even more dangerous on this Bucks team.
DiVincenzo is looking expendable for a number of reasons. First off, he hasn’t played as well this season as years prior. The injury he suffered last season is probably a reason, but the Bucks did win a championship without him. In addition, Milwaukee added Grayson Allen to their squad. Lastly, DiVincenzo’s contract runs out this offseason.
Denver can use DiVincenzo as an offensive boost due to all their injuries to major players. Nikola Jokic can guide this team to the playoffs, as he’s doing, but he’ll need help once they get there.
Added Frontcourt Help
The trade: Milwaukee sends Semi Ojeleye, their Torrey Craig trade exception, and a second-round pick to the Oklahoma City Thunder for Mike Muscala.
Milwaukee can still use depth while Lopez remains out. Muscala will be available, as is the case with most of Oklahoma City’s veterans, and will certainly be pursued.
Muscala can come off the bench to play the five while offering decent rebounding and quite a solid offensive game. He’s a stopgap option as his contract expires this summer but helps Milwaukee’s championship cause.
Oklahoma City will look to gain an asset for Muscala’s expiring contract. Ojeleye is also on an expiring contract, so he won’t affect future cap space. The Craig trade exception allows the salaries to match, while the Thunder gain an asset in the second-round pick.
Milwaukee Bucks Add Help Now and a Prospect
The trade: Milwaukee sends DiVincenzo and Ojeleye to the Dallas Mavericks for Trey Burke and Moses Brown.
Brown often showed flashes of brilliance at the five, yet he’s rarely used in Dallas. The Mavericks certainly have a frontcourt jam, especially at the five, and Brown is on the outside looking in. Last season, while on the Thunder, he was a rebounding machine. Milwaukee will definitely take this, as well as Brown’s cheap contract, to add center help. In addition, Milwaukee gets another veteran off the bench in Burke. When he’s hot, Burke is an offensive spark plug and simply gets buckets.
DiVincenzo isn’t necessarily a player Milwaukee wants to lose, but they have adequate replacements and his extension will be difficult to extend this summer. Dallas, on the other hand, needs guard help, especially after Tim Hardaway Jr‘s injury. DiVincenzo is an ideal replacement short-term and possibly long-term. Dallas also gets wing/frontcourt help from Ojeleye, who also happened to play collegiately at SMU in Dallas.
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