MILWAUKEE — Through one-third of the 2022-23 NBA season, it’s clear that the Milwaukee Bucks have enough talent to make a splash in the Playoffs, but it won’t come easily unless there are some significant improvements by the end of the regular season. Internal improvements like schematic shifts and a healthy Khris Middleton would surely help, but a trade might be the catalyst to decide the fate of their year.
Although the Milwaukee Bucks don’t have a lot of draft equity to toy with because of the Jrue Holiday trade in Nov. 2020, they have enough to entice a losing team to part with one of their veterans. So long as the player is on a reasonably low annual contract, Milwaukee will be able to cobble together enough contracts and picks to make a worthy offer.
In making such a deal, the team needs to consider its biggest needs. Milwaukee ranks 29th in bench scoring this season — 0.1 points per game behind the 10-win Houston Rockets. They are also middle-of-the-pack in terms of 3-point efficiency at 35% on the year, which is 0.7% below league-average thus far.
So which players who could feasibly be made available would address bench scoring and 3-point efficiency for the Milwaukee Bucks?
1. Forward Doug McDermott, San Antonio Spurs: At 30 years old, McDermott remains one of the top volume 3-point shooters in basket, nailing 41.3% of his 5 three-point attempts per game for a Spurs team focused on developing its young talent. Owed $13,750,000 annually through the 2023-24 season, McDermott is an excellent off-ball scorer who compliments the Bucks with fantastic cutting, unselfish passing and frenetic movement in the half-court. Plus, it shouldn’t take much to pry him from San Antonio at the trade deadline.
2. Guard Jordan Clarkson, Utah Jazz: One of the NBA’s elite bench scorers with fantastic shot creation ability, range beyond the 3-point line and sneaky passing chops that would compliment the Bucks’ guard rotation nicely. Playing on a Utah Jazz team that traded four of its veterans this year alone, Clarkson might cost a bit more than some of the other options on this team, but would also add a more impactful scoring bunch than any of the other options who are feasible for Milwaukee to target.
3. Forward Kelly Oubre Jr., Charlotte Hornets: Coming off a horrendous offseason, the Hornets desperately needed one of their front court players to pick up an increased scoring load this season, and Oubre answered the call. The stout 6-foot-7 forward is averaging a career-high 20.6 points per game with solid defense on a team that’s more likely to tank for lottery odds than make a Playoff appearance. On an expiring $12.6 million deal, Oubre has what it takes to make an impact in the bench unit for head coach Mike Budenholzer.
4. Wing Terrance Ross, Orlando Magic: For the last six seasons, Ross has been on a semi-competitive Orlando Magic team as a microwave scorer and veteran presence, but at this stage of his career, he’d be better off moving elsewhere. An impressive slasher with upside as a three-point shooter, Ross knows how to score without a high-usage role, which would be of use coming off Milwaukee’s bench. Though it hasn’t been his most efficient season, a change of scenery and improved shot quality would likely bring the best out of the 2012 lottery pick.
5. Forward Jae Crowder, Phoenix Suns: Since announcing that he wouldn’t play for the Suns again this season, Crowder has been linked to the Bucks by pundits and journalists alike. A brawny and versatile defender from the power forward position, Crowder’s teams have seen regular-season success at every turn. The longer he remains on the Suns’ roster, the less likely it is for the team to command a high asking price. In turn, the Bucks could capitalize on a difficult situation for the Suns.
The 2023 NBA Trade Deadline is on Thursday, February 9, giving Milwaukee Bucks GM Jon Horst roughly six weeks to make some calls and find the right fit for the team’s culture as they look to the NBA Finals.
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