With a new coach and limited pieces, some may think the Bucks will take it easy this trade deadline, but that doesn’t appear to be the case.
Bucks GM Jon Horst has made a deal on four of the past five trade deadline occasions, and this week’s deadline may prove no different.
Despite their restricted trade pieces and ageing roster, the Bucks are making a lot of calls, NBA insider Brian Windhorst reports.
“Milwaukee is definitely trying,” said Brian Windhorst on The Hoop Collective. “I was talking to a team just last night where they have been talking with Milwaukee and they were like ‘They must have dozens of trade scenarios they have been pitching. Trying three-way deals, all kinds of stuff.’
“Basically to get anybody in there that can defend a little bit, particularly on the perimeter.
“They have two second round picks they are allowed to trade. No firsts. One of them is Portland’s pick this year.”
Fellow insider Tim Bontemps added, “They can try to repackage some swaps if they really want to try to get creative to manufacture something. You’re really scraping the bottom of the barrel if you’re swapping already swapped picks.”
The Bucks are clearly looking for a win-now team after the franchise hired Doc Rivers and sensationally fired first-year coach Adrian Griffin.
Last trade deadline saw them pull off a blockbuster deal for Damian Lillard. Do they have enough to pull off another trade as the deadline looms closer?
The latest rumors suggest the 2021 champs are targeting Warriors forward Andrew Wiggins and Nets forward Dorian Finney-Smith.
Though Milwaukee will likely need to include Bobby Portis in any outgoing package, Yahoo Sports’ Jake Fischer reports.
“…Milwaukee, sources said, is going to think long and hard before sacrificing Portis in any deal at this deadline. Still, it should be noted Portis was one of Kerr’s favorites during this summer’s FIBA World Cup run with Team USA,” Fischer wrote.
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