{"id":116483,"date":"2025-01-06T21:12:20","date_gmt":"2025-01-07T02:12:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/?p=116483"},"modified":"2025-01-06T21:12:20","modified_gmt":"2025-01-07T02:12:20","slug":"milwaukee-bucks-jimmy-butler-trade-right-move","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2025\/01\/06\/milwaukee-bucks-jimmy-butler-trade-right-move\/","title":{"rendered":"Jimmy Butler Trade Would Be Right Move For Bucks"},"content":{"rendered":"

Amid reports that the Miami Heat are looking to trade star forward Jimmy Butler<\/a> as soon as possible, the Milwaukee Bucks have been listed among the teams<\/a> considering such a move.<\/p>\n

On the surface, the rational is clear. The Bucks are currently hovering right above .500 at 17-16. After a feel good win streak from Nov. 18 to Dec. 3 that helped them quell concerns about their personnel, Milwaukee\u2019s taken a step back. They\u2019re 6-7 since that seven-game stretch and 1-4 in their last five games.<\/p>\n

Jimmy Butler Trade Would Be Right Move For Bucks<\/h2>\n

If the Bucks want to reach the NBA Finals again, they\u2019re moving in the wrong direction. A trade for Butler, one of the more complete players, might allow them to correct their course. He\u2019s drastically improve their defense and<\/em> give them another go-to option offensively. As of right now, two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo<\/a> is their only player capable of doing both.<\/p>\n

Butler\u2019s injury history won\u2019t make him more reliable in term of availability. However, he\u2019s a better fit for their current needs.<\/p>\n

Getting Below The Second Apron<\/h3>\n

As Milwaukee is $6.5 million above the second apron, they would likely have to get below it to make the Butler trade. This shouldn\u2019t be too hard if they\u2019re motivated enough.<\/p>\n

One option is sending Pat Connaughton<\/a> and his $9.4 million contract to a team that can absorb him into their cap space (Detroit Pistons) or a trade exception<\/a>. These types of transactions often require the team trying to shed salary to include second-round picks in the package. The Bucks have just one second-round pick through 2031 but that may be enough.<\/p>\n

Another option would be to trade young players \u2014say MarJon Beauchamp<\/a>, Chris Livingston<\/a>, and AJ Johnson<\/a> \u2014in a series of smaller deals. Due to their affordability and potential, Milwaukee might even be the team receiving draft capital.<\/p>\n

After that, the Bucks just have to see whether the Heat prefer the combination of Khris Middleton<\/a> and Bobby Portis<\/a> or to swap Butler for Damian Lillard<\/a>. In either scenario, Milwaukee gets better.<\/p>\n

The Middleton-Portis Package<\/h3>\n

If the Heat prefer a package with Middleton and Portis, they\u2019ll still have to add a couple of smaller contracts to make salaries match. As a result, they would probably prefer to move Connaughton in this situation. Nonetheless, this is a swap that allowed the Bucks to enhance their perimeter defense. Middleton, when healthy, and Portis are fine offensive players.<\/p>\n

What they lack is the ability to lockdown their opponents at the other end.<\/p>\n

\n

Khris Middleton on ball defense in the year 2025 \ud83e\udd10\ud83e\udd10\ud83e\udd10 pic.twitter.com\/adV8mTZrGa<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Tony Clements (@TonyCMKE) January 5, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n