It’s no secret that the Milwaukee Bucks disappointed last season after going big with the acquisition of All-Star guard Damian Lillard. The thing is, the front office can find a way to get better if they entertain a trade proposal involving Los Angeles Lakers’ Jarred Vanderbilt and Orlando Magic’s Wendell Carter Jr.
Jarred Vanderbilt and Wendell Carter Jr. are two promising young NBA players who have made their mark in the league in recent years. The former was selected in the second round of the 2018 NBA Draft by the Denver Nuggets.
After playing sparingly his first two seasons, Vanderbilt found his stride with the Minnesota Timberwolves in 2020-21, averaging 5.4 points and 5.8 rebounds per game. His energetic and physical style of play quickly made him a fan favorite. In 2021-22, Vanderbilt had a breakout season, averaging 8.4 points, 8.0 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 1.5 steals per game, establishing himself as a valuable two-way player.
Carter, on the other hand, was a highly touted prospect coming out of Duke University. Selected seventh overall by the Chicago Bulls in the 2018 NBA Draft, Carter immediately made an impact, averaging 10.3 points, 7.0 rebounds and 1.8 blocks per game as a rookie.
After three seasons in Chicago, Carter was traded to the Orlando Magic in 2021. With the Magic, the 6’10” center has continued to develop his all-around game, posting career-highs in points, rebounds and assists in the 2022-23 season. At just 25 years old, Carter is widely regarded as one of the most promising young big men in the NBA.
Milwaukee Bucks Acquire Wendell Carter Jr. and Jarred Vanderbilt in Intriguing Trade Proposal with Los Angeles Lakers and Orlando Magic
While almost all the big names have been taken in free agency, there are still some interesting options for the Giannis Antetokounmpo-led squad. In an article written by Dalton Sell for Behind the Buck Pass, the Bucks are projected to get both young stars from the Los Angeles Lakers and Orlando Magic. In exchange, the Purple and Gold gets big man Brook Lopez while the Paolo Banchero-led team receives D’Angelo Russell.
“Having just turned 25 years old, Carter is young and could become Milwaukee’s center of the future. With Lopez getting up there in age, the team needs to at least begin to think about a possible option to take the reigns from him, and Carter could be a strong option. It may be better to address the issue now rather than wait another year and face it head-on when he hits free agency in 2025.
Jarred Vanderbilt would be far from a throw-in here. The 6-foot-8 power forward, also 25, has made a name for himself due to his defense, utilizing his height and length to hound opponents of all sizes. A big body capable of switching and guarding almost anyone on the floor would certainly help the team if a more versatile style of defense is indeed something they want to utilize next year,” Sell wrote.
Doing away with Lopez and getting Carter and Vanderbilt in return is a potential big win for Milwaukee. Apart from getting rid of the veteran center’s contract, the team will become younger, more athletic, and get better on the defensive end of the court.
As it stands, there’s still no word yet if this trade happens or if it’ll become a reality at all. In the event it happens, though, the Bucks will become a contender again in the Eastern Conference.
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