Despite starting the season 2-8, the Milwaukee Bucks have started to turn things around. Now with a 6-9 record, the Bucks own the No. 11 seed in the Eastern Conference. Giannis Antetokounmpo, the league’s current leading scorer, looks primed for another MVP campaign. Additionally, though he is still ways away from his season debut, Khris Middleton has been medically cleared. Middleton has missed the entire season so far as he recovers from his ankle injury. However, though they are starting to right the ship, the Bucks reportedly have interest in making a trade. More specifically, the Bucks have interest in acquiring Chicago Bulls forward Torrey Craig in a trade.
Per NBA reporter Brett Siegel, the Bucks are interested in acquiring the 33-year-old. Additionally, according to Siegel, the Bucks have made Pat Connaughton and MarJon Beauchamp available for trade.
“No team has shown interest in making a deal with the Milwaukee Bucks at this time. MarJon Beauchamp ($2.7 million) and Pat Connaughton ($9.4 million) are the two players the Bucks have made available in trade discussions in order to try and add talent on the wing. Veteran forward Torrey Craig from the Chicago Bulls is a player Milwaukee has shown interest in, sources said.”
Milwaukee Bucks Interested in Trade For Torrey Craig
How Torrey Craig Can Help the Bucks
During the 2020-21 season, Craig played 18 games for the Bucks. In that time, he averaged 2.5 points and 24 rebounds over 11.2 minutes.
Craig is a solid 3-and-D player and would help the Bucks tremendously on the defensive side of the ball. So far, the Bucks rank 15th-best in the NBA with a 113 DRTG. Additionally, they are allowing 112.2 points per game, which is just 14th-best in the league.
The Bulls forward is in the final year of his two-year, $5.3 million contract, making him a popular trade candidate. Furthermore, he fits the Bucks’ timeline more than Chicago’s as they are in a better spot to contend for a championship right away, even given their slow start to the season. It is unclear how willing Chicago is to move on from Craig. However, given his contract situation and the Bulls’ 6-10 record, trading him is not an unrealistic possibility.
The Last Word
Earlier this month, Sam Amick and Eric Nehm of The Athletic wrote that the Bucks are unlikely to make any blockbuster moves. This report is in the wake of numerous trade rumors involving Antetokounpo. Amic and Nehm also wrote that the Bucks could make a trade before the deadline. Trading for Craig could be a move the Bucks make to improve the roster.
“I could certainly see the Bucks doing some kind of deal, if not more than one, before the Feb. 6 deadline,” Amick and Nehm wrote. “But in terms of the big stuff that comes with their team’s calculus — Giannis, [Damian Lillard], Doc and Khris [Middleton] — I don’t see anything changing.”
Regardless of whether a trade happens or not, the Bucks are starting to turn things around. Fortunately for them, they are in the Eastern Conference, which is much more forgiving than the West. As the season progresses, they should continue to climb the standings. Whether Craig becomes a part of this remains unknown.
