3 Most Likely Bucks to Be Traded Before the 2024-25 NBA Season

2. Bobby Portis, PF/C

While Lopez's salary could certainly help pull off a bigger deal, potential trade partners might not be that keen to take on a 36-year-old center who's past his prime. If that's the case, the Bucks could choose to unload Bobby Portis instead.

Portis, 29, might not be as tall or experienced as Lopez, but he's still 6-foot-10 with the ability to play power forward and center. He's also seven years younger than his counterpart and only carries a $12.5 million cap hit next season with a $13.4 million player option for the 2025-26 campaign, giving flexibility to a possible suitor.

Another thing that potentially makes Portis a more attractive trade piece is that he's one of the NBA's best bench players. The former Arkansas Razorback just averaged 13.8 points, 7.4 rebounds, 1.3 assists, and 0.8 steals while shooting 50.8% from the floor and 40.7% from deep despite only starting in four of his 82 appearances with the Bucks last season.

His efforts saw him finish third in the NBA Sixth Man of the Year voting for the second consecutive season. While a lot of attention in today's league is on the star players, having bench players as good as Portis can be the difference when it comes to winning a championship.

With the ability to do a little bit of everything, Portis would attract a ton of attention if the Bucks made him available. As much as he's beloved by Milwaukee fans, the Bucks must pull the trigger if they can bring a haul that's too good to ignore — especially if they're worried about Portis declining his player option in search of a bigger payday next summer.