The Bucks have been one of the most aggressive teams in looking for roster upgrades over the past several years, pulling off blockbuster deals for Jrue Holiday in 2020 and Damian Lillard in 2023. Milwaukee has also been active in trade discussions leading up to the February 6 deadline, report Brian Windhorst and Tim Bontemps of ESPN (Insider link).
According to ESPN’s duo, Khris Middleton, Bobby Portis and Pat Connaughton are all expected to be on the trading block as the Bucks seek an “impact player” to improve their chances at winning another championship with Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Three-time All-Star Middleton is the most prominent name of the group. An essential part of Milwaukee’s title in 2021, the 33-year-old forward has dealt with a litany of major injuries over the past few seasons, appearing in just 106 games regular season games since the start of the 2022/23 campaign. He missed Thursday’s victory over Miami with an ankle injury and is considered day-to-day.
As Windhorst and Bontemps observe, the Bucks are currently over the second tax apron and would need shed about $6.5MM from their payroll in order to aggregate salaries. Connaughton, who earns $9.42MM in ’24/25, with an identical player option for ’25/26, has been viewed as the player most likely to be moved, but due to injuries and declining play, Milwaukee would have to attach sweeteners to trade him.
Middleton, meanwhile earns $31.67MM this season, with a $34MM player option for ’25/26. Portis makes $12.6MM in ’24/25, with a $13.45MM player option for next season.
All three played important roles during Milwaukee’s title run a handful of years ago, but so did Holiday, and that didn’t prevent the Bucks from trading him. Milwaukee has one future first-round pick (2031) it can dangle in trade talks, per Windhorst and Bontemps.
After starting the season with an abysmal 2-8 record, the Bucks have been surging up the standings, winning five straight and eight of their past nine. They’re currently 25-17, making them the No. 4 seed in the Eastern Conference.
However, the Bucks have yet to beat Cleveland, Boston or New York this season, going 0-8 thus far against the three teams directly ahead of them in the East’s standings, as Windhorst and Bontemps point out.
AJ Green, two way Ryan Rollins and a 1st for a veteran SG 30+
Delon Wright and some 2nds for a better backup PG
Ryan Rollins is the better backup PG
But Rollins is a thief with negative energy and a negative cloud fallowing him. You need to move on from Rollins and Wright. Trade them both for a sixth man PG
Khris Middleton – $34M player option next year
Pat Connaughton – $9.4M player option next year
Bobby Portis – $13.4 M player option next year
2031 1st round unprotected
$56.8M salary headed out
Zach Lavine – $$45.9M salary
Dalon Terry – $5.3 salary
Javon Carter – $6.8 M player option
$58M salary headed out
Bucks get another wing scorer next to Giannis and Dame and can create his own shot along with a wing player in Terry and get back Javon Carter who is familiar with some of the Bucks players. Helps Giannis while he’s still in his prime to contend for titles.
Bulls get expiring contracts for next year along with a valuable 2031 1st round unprotected pick.
Who says no? Might need a 3rd team to get involved if there’s other picks need to be sent over.
It’s more complicated than that. Bucks can’t aggregate salary in a trade until they get below the second apron. They need to trade Pat first to a team that absorbs his salary, aka Toronto or Detroit for draft compensation.
Once done, they can do other trades with multiple players.
Thanks I totally for about that! Nevermind on my offer.
Salaries work and get below 2nd apron if you remove Terry and use this years salaries
Any trade where they take back about 6.5M less than they send out allows them to aggregate. Also all those rules apply at the end of the trade so you can do it different ways as long as thats where you end up.
The Bulls have some trade Exceptions though…
Couldn’t they first do Connaughton for Torey Craig + then in a second step Portis + Middleton for LaVine + Talen-Horton-Tucker?
Middleton and 1st to Blazers for Lillard’s buddy Jerami Grant
Good trade.
Grant has declined a lot. Nets can help.
Bucks send 2031 First to Nets for 3 first round picks (Knicks picks or least favorite …..), and then Bucks keep 1 Knicks First.
Blazers get Middleton and Knicks 2 Firsts.
Don’t want that Grant contract – not worth Middleton’s connection with Giannis
Grant has a bunch more years than Middleton. I almost think it would be about a 1 for 1 on value. I think POR has already completely missed the boat on getting anything of value for Grant. In another season or two with the projected cap rise his salary numbers will look better, and the years will be less, but he will also need to be as good as now or better to bring back real value.
Bucks are so far gone, Beal would be a good fit but it seems like the “Beal is a bad player” narrative is stronger than the intelligence of the Bucks FO
Beal is a really good player. Just think he’s shown he’s not a stud on even a decent team more like a high end role player/starter on a good team. Not sure you want him to eat up that much salary to be in that role.
Beal isn’t a bad player at all. But he’s making max money, is on a long-term contract, and is always hurt. If he were getting paid 60% of what he makes currently and played in 70+ games a year he’d have a much larger market.
Do you really want to sign up for a Dame/Beal backcourt defensively. Thats the CJ/Dame blazers all over again where they score lots and play zero defense. Aging Lopez isnt going to be able to clean up that mess.
Paul George has entered the podcast
Bucks second worth enough to dump Pat C? I don’t see that happening. It is sad how stupid the new CPA is. I can’t believe the players ratified it.
Bucks can send 2031 First to Thunder for 3 Firsts.
Copy Suns
Suns acquired Cavs 2025 First
Bucks can acquire Thunder 2025 First.
Then dump Pat C
It’s only really possible in a multi-team trade
Such a joke that its just normal that reports like this are just common. I mean, lets trade 3 garbage assets for a great one, yeah sure no problem. But in the NBA its not only possible, its probable. Its all just an agent/player fantasy league at this point.
I mean their 2031 1st is going to be very valuable, same as what the Suns was. They would need to get in on a multi-team trade deal though because Chicago will probably need a little bit more than that and not necessarily want those players.
None of Beal/Lavine/Butler are “good” assets. The Bucks 31 pick is though. These teams that mortgage everything and have one draft pick left are in position to have one of the more valuable assets in the NBA. Its why a package of Warriors picks is seen as valuable if theyre further out since if they deal you all their draft picks and Steph retires what are they really? Picks that look like they are decent bets to be top 7 where you might get multiple top 5 picks out of it have no monetary cost and insane future value since one could be the next Wemby.
Future picks when teams are projected to be bad with no assets are very very valuable.
It’s called hoops rumors dude tranquilo
Suns –> Butler
Bulls –> Beal and 2027 CLE/MIN 1st and 2031 MIL 1st
Bucks –> Lavine and Jevon Carter
Heat –> Middleton, Connaughton, and 2025 CLE 1st, lesser 2nd from DET
Pistons –> Portis and 2031 MIL 2nd
I bet theres like 3 teams Beal would accept a deal to and none are interested in him. I dont even think theres much you could do to incentivize him since he already is on a max with a no trade. Like I dont know if theres even room yet with cap rises to offer him any extra money since he already may be at the max max.
Go get Randle from MN!
Nothing out there worth trading Khris and Bobby, the team is rolling even with Khris as a part timer. The second unit is lost w/o Portis. Frankly adding Butler or Beal is subtraction by addition. Levine would be a good piece with Dame and Gianni’s, but not better than a healthy Middleton.
None of those “impact” players have less injury history than the combination of Khris & Bobby
This! Don’t get sucked in Bucks GM!!!
The Bucks should be looking at either Jimmy Butler or Levine. Beal and his contract, not to mention his own injury history, is not worth trading away Khash, Portis and PC to obtain.
Obviously, there is then a huge hole in the lineup with Portis gone. Getting Robert Williams for Portis would be a huge defensive upgrade, but Portis would need to be to any trade for Butler or Levine.
In a perfect world, the 2nd apron wouldn’t exist and we’d wouldn’t have to waste draft capital just to get rid of PC.
Pat Con and Portis for a veteran SG starter (30+)
Bummer Pats contract exists, they’d be a whole lot more interesting than PHX for Mia
I don’t see how to dissolve Pat tho, a meager 2031 2nd rder wont do it
Wherever Middleton finishes his contract, he’s likely a minimum salary vet after that. He’s had bad luck with the injuries. I don’t see him being an impact player going forward. Having said that, I’d like to see him make a comeback. He was definitely an impact player for them the title year and for some time before that.
While anything is possible, Middleton is probably an easier trade in the off-season.