The Milwaukee Bucks may not need to look any further in terms of their presumed desire to bring in some much-needed defensive help for their backcourt. Given his current situation with the Memphis Grizzlies, former Defensive Player of the Year Marcus Smart could suddenly be made available via trade. If this happens, Milwaukee should do whatever it can to try and recruit the feisty guard.
Grizzlies Lose Ja Morant
The Grizzlies’ season is pretty much over. They are currently 13th in the West with a 14-23 record, and any hope of a mid-season surge has been thrown out the window after superstar point guard Ja Morant was ruled out for the remainder of the season.
Morant just recently returned from a league-mandated suspension and just when it looked like the two-time All-Star was getting his groove back, disaster struck. Morant suffered a shoulder injury which was later diagnosed as a labrum tear. The 24-year-old will now have to undergo season-ending surgery as the Grizzlies look to have him ready for the start of the 2024-25 campaign.
Marcus Smart to the Milwaukee Bucks?
With Morant officially done for the year, rumors have emerged about the Grizzlies potentially blowing up their current roster. This means that Marcus Smart, who arrived in Memphis just this summer, could be placed on the trade block.
Mike Cruz of ClutchPoints argues that if Smart suddenly becomes available, the Bucks would be a perfect landing spot:
“The Milwaukee Bucks are probably the team that need Marcus Smart the most. The Giannis Antetokounmpo-led squad has a glaring need for a legitimate point-of-attack defender after it acquired Damian Lillard and lost Jrue Holiday in the offseason and Smart fits the bill. For the season, head coach Adrian Griffin has entrusted Malik Beasley and Pat Connaughton to be Milwaukee’s main POA defenders. And that simply hasn’t cut it so far for the Bucks.
“Smart would be a perfect fit in the backcourt with Damian Lillard as he would be able to cover for the All-Star guard’s deficiencies on the defensive end,” Cruz wrote.
Cruz does point out that the Bucks will need to give up some major assets in order to land Smart. Bobby Portis and Pat Connaughton are the two names that popped up as potential trade assets, but that simply won’t be enough to entice Memphis. Milwaukee will likely need to add some draft capital as well as a couple of minimum deals not only to make it a more attractive trade package but also to make the salaries work.
It won’t be easy, but if the Bucks pull this off then it could be the move that finally completes their puzzle.
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1 Comment
If Bucks lose Portis then they solve one problem by creating another. He is the most consistent player off the bench who can really energize the team. Losing him would be a major blow to the second unit that is already horrible.