The Milwaukee Bucks are not hiding the fact that they are in the market to make some big changes to their roster for the 2024-25 NBA season. After trading for Damian Lillard late last offseason, the Bucks had higher aspirations than just another first round exit in the NBA Playoffs. With Giannis Antetokounmpo and Dame under contract for at least the next two seasons, they are in a definite win-now mode. Simply put, they cannot afford to have any more disappointing seasons anytime soon.
Part of the reason for the Bucks’ desperation is that they simply have not drafted and developed well overall. While Giannis will be remembered as the greatest player in franchise history, very few of his current teammates started their careers as he did, a Milwaukee draft pick.
MarJon Beauchamp, AJ Green, and Andre Jackson Jr. were the only other Bucks’ draft picks who saw any semblance of real playing time last season. The majority of their contributors are, and have been, free agent signees or players acquired via trade.
How the Milwaukee Bucks Acquired Their Most Important Players
Giannis, as mentioned, was drafted by the Bucks and remains their best draft success story. Lillard, of course, was acquired via trade last offseason for Jrue Holiday, who himself was acquired by Milwaukee in a trade back in 2021.
Khris Middleton, though he is most remembered as a Bucks player, was originally drafted by the Detroit Pistons and sent to Milwaukee in a trade. Brook Lopez, Bobby Portis, and Pat Connaughton all came to the Bucks via free agency, as did most of their role players.
There is no doubt that the Bucks are NBA Championship contenders with Giannis and Dame, but they only have them for so long. If Milwaukee is going to continue their sustained run of success, they need to start drafting and developing players along with adding suitable players to their roster.
As the 2024 NBA Draft approaches, there are rumors that some of their current veterans could be traded for such players that would fit better on their roster (since they cannot sign any free agents to anything more than a veteran minimum deal).
NBA Analyst Reveals the Milwaukee Bucks Are Willing to Trade Bobby Portis and Pat Connaughton
In a recent article posted on Hoops Hype, NBA insider Michael Scotto revealed that the Bucks are making both Pat Connaughton and Bobby Portis available on the trade market leading up to the draft. He wrote:
“Rival executives have also come away with the sense that Bobby Portis and Pat Connaughton are available on the trade market if Milwaukee can make a notable win-now upgrade. Both players, however, have been mentioned as possible trade candidates in the past, and nothing has come of it. Portis finished as a Sixth Man of the Year finalist for the second straight year.”
Both players hold some sentiment among Bucks fans as they were part of the team that won the 2021 NBA Finals. However, both have also come under fire by fans on social media for their poor play in the postseason.
The front office must have also taken note of how they have come up short in the NBA Playoffs since winning the title if both are being made available via trade.
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