The Milwaukee Bucks shocked the NBA world on Tuesday when they made the bold decision to fire rookie head coach Adrian Griffin. Despite all accounts that Giannis Antetokounmpo had wanted Griffin, recent interviews and statements by multiple players, including the two-time MVP himself, gave every indication that Griffin had lost the locker room. Despite having the second-best record in the NBA at 30-13, the front office did not believe they would be able to make a championship run with him as head coach.
To replace Griffin, the Bucks first named Joe Prunty as the interim head coach. Ironically, it was Prunty who served as Milwaukee’s interim coach the last time a change was made in-season. Of course, that was back when Jason Kidd was relieved of his duties.
Hours later, reports leaked out that the Bucks were engaging in talks with Doc Rivers to become their next head coach. On Wednesday, those reports became official. Whether or not Rivers will be on the sidelines when the Bucks take on the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday night remains to be seen.
The change in coaching, while a surprise, is an indication that Milwaukee truly is going all in on its title hopes this year. As a result, trade talk surrounding two specific players has heated up around the NBA in the past 24 hours.
The Milwaukee Bucks Are Actively Shopping Pat Connaughton and Cameron Payne
While the Bucks had the highest-scoring offense in the league with Griffin as head coach, their defense was among the NBA’s worst. Firing Griffin and hiring Rivers will not be enough to fix the issue, so Milwaukee will explore upgrades to its roster via trade, as they have long been rumored to do.
However, the firing of Griffin has provided clarity on what specific players are being shopped. According to Jack Fischer of Yahoo Sports:
“Milwaukee is exploring a range of options to improve its perimeter defense, league sources told Yahoo Sports. Milwaukee has contacted various teams about what it could return with the second-round pick it will receive from Portland, sources said, which currently stands as No. 35 in the 2024 NBA Draft. There are some front-office figures who view that type of selection as more valuable than or the equivalent of a late first-rounder because the pick isn’t bound to a rookie-scale and carries lower tax implications.
“With their early second, the Bucks are considering different combinations of trades that could move veteran wing Pat Connaughton, plus reserve guard Cameron Payne, sources said, to help fortify Milwaukee’s defensive rotation.”
According to Fischer, Payne and Connaughton’s salaries combine for $12.5 million, which puts them in play for the following players on the NBA trade block:
- Matise Thybulle
- PJ Tucker
- Alex Caruso (would need to include multiple first round picks)
If the Bucks wanted a bigger impact player like Dejounte Murray, they would need to include Bobby Portis, something the team is willing to do.
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