A couple of days ago, Eric Nehm and Marc Stein reported that the Bucks were looking to add a player next to Giannis in the trade market. Today, Jake Fischer of the Stein Line has more news about what the Bucks are
looking to do this season. Fischer reiterated that the Bucks rebuff that Giannis had in any way requested a trade or that they were fielding offers for the two-time MV, and that the Bucks are looking to add a piece next to him to turn the their season around. According to a rival GM whom Fischer spoke to, the Bucks have their sights set high on whom they want to add:
“Now Milwaukee is messaging that it wants to be buyers at this deadline to try to get Giannis more help. Even with no clear return-from-injury timetable yet in place for Antetokounmpo, Jon Horst’s front office continues to hold onto hope that assembling a puncher’s chance contender remains viable in the wide-open Eastern Conference. One rival general manager I spoke to went so far as to say that the Bucks had convinced him that “they’re going big-game hunting.”
There have been plenty of names floated around. I mentioned yesterday based on other reports that the Bucks have done background work on Zach LaVine, kept tabs on Anfernee Simons, and were named as a potential suitor for Chris Paul. Yet, Fischer dropped another name that the Bucks have been and are interested in pursuing:
“Another player who has been on Milwaukee’s radar under the same premise both this season and in previous years is Trail Blazers swingman Jerami Grant.”
Grant makes sense as a big wing who can score and defend, and would be a good fit next to Giannis. Grant does have a hefty price tag this season and in the future, earning $32 million this season, $34.2 million next season, and a player option for $36.4 million for the 2027-28 season, when he turns 33. The only potential problem with getting a deal for Grant going is that, according to Fischer, he has become a favorite of Blazers GM Joe Cronin. As for the financials of the deal, it would have to start with Kyle Kuzma’s $22.4 million and either adding Bobby Portis to the deal or two minimum contract players, like Amir Coffey and Cole Anthony, plus some draft capital tied to it.
Fischer did go on to name Andrew Wiggins, Dejounte Murray, and Marcus Smart as three other players the Bucks could go after in a speculative sense, since they’re players whom they’ve targeted in the past. He reports that the Bucks regularly called the Golden State Warriors about Wiggins’ availability before the deal that sent Jimmy Butler to the West Coast and Wiggins to Miami. The same was true of Murray during his time with the Atlanta Hawks before his trade to the New Orleans Pelicans. Murray hasn’t played at all this season after suffering an Achilles tear in January of this year. There is some hope within the Pelicans organization that he could make his debut in January, according to Fischer. A deal for Smart is unlikely given the Lakers’ need for a point-of-attack defender and the fact that they already got him on a favorable deal in the buyout market.
A surprise name that popped up in Fischer’s report was that the Bucks tried to trade for the Dallas Mavericks’ P.J. Washington while he was still with the Charlotte Hornets. However, a deal won’t be able to materialize this season for Washington, as he signed a contract extension before the season, making him ineligible for a trade until next off-season.
Regardless of who they decide to pursue, the Bucks are seemingly going to be aggressive in adding an impact player to convince Giannis to stay and sign an extension this upcoming offseason.
