8 Potential Bucks Trade Targets

Eric Bledsoe isn't getting it done. He's not capable as a third offensive option or as a third-best player for a championship level team. He made the All-Defense team, and it was semi-deserved. But the Bucks lacked scoring all postseason and as a whole are seriously desirous of any offensive versatility. The Heat took away the five-out offense, predicated on Giannis penetrating and finishing or creating open shooters. They stopped the best transition scorer in the NBA from being able to wreck them in transition. And the Bucks had no counter punch. Khris Middleton couldn't carry that new burden all alone. Milwaukee needs help/versatility. They can't go into next season being unable to answer when someone takes away their go-to playstyle.

The Bucks' movable contracts and assets are not a treasure trove, but they are pretty clear-cut:

-Eric Bledsoe: 3 years remaining for $54 million, final year non-guaranteed

-Donte DiVincenzo: 2 years remaining for $7.7 million, team option on the final year

-George Hill: 2 years remaining for $20 million, final year non-guaranteed

-Ersan Ilyasova: 1 year remaining for $7 million, non-guaranteed

-DJ Wilson: 1 year remaining for $4.5 million

Draft picks:

-2020 Indiana first round pick

-2021 own first round pick

-2023 own first round pick

-various second round picks

The money in the above deals is all short-term, which lets them make deals work better for higher-paid players, because teams won't be tied up to paying dudes that basically just make salaries line up.

8 potential targets (4 lower-budget, 4 bigger deals), given the Bucks trade pieces and cap situation:

The more manageable contracts:

Buddy Hield, shooting guard, Sacramento Kings (age 27)

Hield is one of the best shooters in the NBA. He's more of a play finisher than a playmaker, but he isn't just knockdown or catch and shoot. He and Middleton would be one of the best shooting duos in the entire Association, and really of all-time. This would give the Bucks much more spacing, something that Bledsoe absolutely ruins. This opens up the floor for Giannis drives, Lopez pick and rolls, and minimizes other teams helping at the rim. Hield would also put more playmaking on the Bucks stars, as opposed to them having to rely on the capricious play of a point guard. This is something great teams thrive with. It's almost impossible to contend for a championship when you're dependent on one guy's playmaking.

The contract: Hield is on an attractive deal, averaging $21 million for the next four seasons.

Zach LaVine, shooting guard, Chicago Bulls (age 25)

LaVine is a wonderful shooter with a good all-around scoring game. He's a legit bucket-getter. However, his drawback is the opposite of Hield's: he needs the ball a decent amount to be so effective. His defense leaves a lot to be desired. But his creation on offense is exactly what the Bucks needed against the Heat, especially after Giannis went down. Middleton is a great offensive player, but he couldn't create his own shots enough, and there wasn't adequate facilitation to get the rest of the Bucks good looks. If LaVine can buy into the Bucks system and accept a more defined role with much better teammates than he had on the Bulls, he could have tremendous upside for Milwaukee.

The contract: LaVine's deal has two seasons left, at a super manageable $19.5 million both seasons.

Caris LeVert, shooting guard/point forward, Brooklyn Nets (age 26)

My favorite option for Milwaukee. LeVert showed out in the bubble with other Nets not playing. He got the brunt of the workload being their best player in Orlando. He demonstrated a star level ceiling. He averaged 25/5/6.7 on 48% shooting with really good defense. He has some legit lead ball handler skills to make up for what Bledsoe would take with him. He can defend really well and uses his 6'6" length to his advantage. He fits wonderfully with Middleton and Giannis, and if his 36.4% from three this season is legit, I'd venture to say he fits perfectly as their third piece. Injuries are his biggest question, and I think he might be the hardest of these targets to acquire. Brooklyn knows how good he is.

The contract: LeVert's deal is a potential robbery. He'll average $18 million for three more seasons.

Dennis Schroder, point guard, Oklahoma City Thunder (age 26)

Many people's 6th Man of the Year, Schroder was the absolute key to Oklahoma City's stunning offensive output this season. Moreso than even Chris Paul on the offensive end, Schroder unlocked everything they did. He was incredibly efficient and played more under control than the former reckless Atlanta Hawk ever had. He learned a lot from Chris Paul, and could be ready to spread his wings somewhere else. The Bucks situation is perfect because he'd be the unquestioned point guard, but he wouldn't have to be the guy by any stretch of the imagination. He is a pretty complete offensive point guard with ample scoring ability, and impressive defense for his 6'1" frame.

The contract: Schroder has one year left on his deal, and he'll make just $15.5 million.

The star-level deals:

Tobias Harris, forward, Philadelphia 76ers (age 28)

A strong, long, and capable defender. Good footwork lets him swallow up smaller matchups with his large frame. Hit threes at a 39.3% clip over the past 3 seasons. Can get to and finish at the rim. Can be a low maintenance scorer. Not a great distributor, but capable of putting the ball on the floor and making the extra pass. A great rebounder at small forward, an adequate rebounder at power forward. He fits very very well with what Milwaukee has shown they want to do. A big four of him, Giannis, Middleton, and Brook Lopez will either be everything that Philadelphia dreamt they had this past season, or fall victim to the same problems. I'd bet on the former because of the Milwaukee quartet's stark shooting advantage.

The contract: Harris is on a max deal, averaging $37 million over the next four seasons.

CJ McCollum, shooting guard, Portland Trailblazers (age 28)

Robin to Damian Lillard's Batman, McCollum's name has been in trade talks before. He may be too similar to Dame for the Blazers to get over the hump, and he may not be cut out to be a second fiddle on a champion. He would be perfect as a third one, and his strengths aren't redundant in Milwaukee, they're needed. An incredible shooter and all around scorer, can create off the bounce and get hot in an instant. A more complete version of Buddy Hield. He has great, uber-efficient upside, and his handle + passing skills make him fit as well as any guard available.

The contract: McCollum's deal will pay him $32 million annually for the next four seasons

Blake Griffin, power forward, Detroit Pistons (age 31)

The most boom-or-bust option possible. Griffin had a darkhorse MVP candidate ceiling before getting hurt at the end of 2018-19, then hurt again after 18 games this season. It's important to note that on May 11, Griffin told ESPN's Sage Steele that he was fully cleared to play NBA games, the Pistons just didn't make the bubble.

On-court, Griffin is halfway between Nikola Jokic and Nikola Mirotic. He can rebound, handle the ball, pass, drive, finish, and shoot, all at high levels. At least before the injuries. His game has refined to no longer be dependent on athleticism; he isn't just the guy who dunks on fools anymore. His defense needed work before getting hurt, but as a do-it-all third star, he'd be more than capable, and that would allow him more time and energy to focus on his stopping ability.

The contract: Griffin has two years left on a max deal that will average him $38 million a season.

Gordon Hayward, small forward, Boston Celtics (age 30)

Hayward has struggled with injuries much like Griffin, but has really been getting back into form this season. A sprained ankle has kept him out of most of the playoffs, but longterm shouldn't affect his play.

Hayward is a versatile wing who has played some four for the Celtics. He'd likely double down what Khris Middleton does for the Bucks, which is far from a bad redundancy. Wing is the most important position in basketball. That's why Celtics GM Danny Ainge drafted Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum top three two years in a row, and then signed Hayward to a nine-figure deal. They have to defend a lot of positions, be able to handle, pass, rebound, score, and space. Hayward checks all these boxes. He would likely be available too. A team trading for him would have to bet that he can find the form he had a few years ago. He's definitely still young enough to do so, and his game will age very well. His non-dependence on athleticism will hopefully prevent injuries from taking away his pop.

The contract: Hayward has one year left at $34 million.

The question with the star-sized contracts is "Yeah, these players are better than the first four guys, but is that worth the extra 10-20 million dollars that the Bucks won't be able to use to reinforce the depth?"

Let me know what you think of any of these deals, or who else the Bucks might want to check out. Who do you think the Bucks should go after if they fire coach Mike Budenholzer? My Twitter is @SonnyDayOnline.