Dairyland Express
Fansided

Milwaukee Bucks: Trade or Keep for Biggest Assets

By Kenny Jilek

LAKE BUENA VISTA, FLORIDA - AUGUST 22: Donte DiVincenzo #0 of the Milwaukee Bucks drives against the Orlando Magic in Game Three of the Eastern Conference First Round during the 2020 NBA Playoffs at The Field House at ESPN Wide World Of Sports Complex on August 22, 2020 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)
LAKE BUENA VISTA, FLORIDA - AUGUST 22: Donte DiVincenzo #0 of the Milwaukee Bucks drives against the Orlando Magic in Game Three of the Eastern Conference First Round during the 2020 NBA Playoffs at The Field House at ESPN Wide World Of Sports Complex on August 22, 2020 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
1 of 5
Next

The Milwaukee Bucks had a tough end to the season, and changes are likely to be made, but which assets should they ship out and what ones should they hold onto.

After their premature exit from the playoffs in the second round, many people have been calling for the Milwaukee Bucks to make changes. There are many different things they could do, and I outlined three potential big moves in an article that you can read here. Of course, the biggest one is trading for another star, which would take assets. However, which assets could they afford to let go, and what ones could they keep is the real question here.

First, we have to outline what the Bucks really have that could be used in a trade and add value to it. But isn’t every player technically an asset? No, not quite, because while you might think that other teams would take Sterling Brown or D.J. Wilson as a benefit to a trade, how would you feel if the Bucks traded Khris Middleton and two of the players they got back were Rodney McGruder and Jerome Robinson? Probably not great, because they don’t add any real value. That’s not to say other guys won’t be traded. They could definitely be thrown in to make salaries line up, but the real value is in draft picks and players that are playoff contributors.

By that logic, the Milwaukee Bucks don’t have a ton of moveable resources. Giannis Antetokounmpo and Khris Middleton are not going anywhere, so that even further slims the list, leaving Milwaukee with Eric Bledsoe, George Hill, Brook Lopez, Donte Divincenzo, and the number 24 pick in this year’s NBA Draft. Wesley Matthews is not included because he has a player option which he may or may not take, Pat Connaughton is a free agent and not really a playoff contributor, and the same goes for Kyle Korver.

If you were counting, that’s five actual trade assets that the Milwaukee Bucks possess. That’s not a lot to get a deal done, but we’ll go through them one by one, except George Hill and Brook Lopez will be their own category because they are on similar contracts and make similar contributions to the team’s success.

Home/Milwaukee Bucks