by The NBA trade deadline is February 9, and since taking over as general manager of the Milwaukee Bucks in 2017, Jon Horst has made a few moves during the season via trade and free agency to bolster the roster:
This season, with the team plunged into the luxury tax and with all 15 roster spots filled with guaranteed contracts, Horst may have to be more creative than ever if he wants to add personnel.
Click here to see who has no-trades and what limit caps the Bucks have.
Bookmark this page for the latest rumors and analysis on trading the Bucks as deadline approaches:
Derrick Rose
This was reported by NBA reporter Marc Stein The Bucks showed interest in the former MVP and current backup point guard for the New York Knicks Tuesday night. Rose, 34, played in just 26 games for the Knicks and was last seen on the field on Dec. 31. The veteran’s three-point shooting had improved over the past two years by 39.4%, but he only went 31.7% before actually being shut down earlier in the year.
Analyses: A player on the bench since the 2017-18 season, Rose can still provide a goal-scoring punch and consistent influence in snappy attack. He’s in the last year of a contract that pays him $14.5 million, so if the Bucks were to acquire him, several players would have to be moved off the roster to accommodate him, including one player with a higher salary than George Hill’s trio. Jordan Nwora and Serge Ibaka. Rose will get better three-point looks on offense in Milwaukee and can still create his own shot in one-on-one situations, and that has been a problem for the Bucks in the postseason.
Serge Ibaka
The Athletic reported that the 33-year-old center and the Bucks have agreed to try and find a place to trade him, and because Ibaka is on board with that idea it makes things easier because he has a no-trade clause. Ibaka re-signed this offseason after the Bucks traded him in February when Brook Lopez was recovering from back surgery, but Ibaka has appeared in just 16 games and played just twice since Nov. 21 due to illness and personal reasons.
Analyses: Ibaka’s $1.8 million salary is palatable to other teams, but is there enough in the film of his last 70 games from 2021-23 in Los Angeles and Milwaukee to make one team feel they can contribute? And how do other teams feel about him essentially asking for a backup role in a title contender? If the Bucks can’t find a business partner that Ibaka will approve of, the team could cut him to his entire salary as Ibaka would have to give up money for a buyout.
Jae Crowder
The last one:
ESPN and Hoops Hype reported that the Brooklyn Nets will review trade scenarios for Jae Crowder ahead of the trade deadline.
-
ESPN reported Crowder was part of a blockbuster trade that sent Kevin Durant and TJ Warren to the Phoenix Suns. Along with Crowder, the Suns sent Cam Johnson, Mikal Bridges, 4 first-round picks and a 2028 trade to the Nets.
-
The Arizona Republic reported that the meeting between the Bucks and Crowder “went well.” But after an application for Kyrie Irving rocked the NBA trade market, there are now reports that Crowder may be in the game for other teams.
-
The Athletic reported Monday that the Phoenix Suns have given the Bucks permission to meet with Crowder.
-
ESPN reported on 25 January that the Bucks remain interested in Jae Crowder of Phoenix and that they are probing the market for a third team to be involved in a trade that would bring Crowder to Milwaukee.
-
The Athletic reported that a three-team trade involving the Bucks and Crowder (and Eric Gordon) reportedly fell through in mid-December.
-
ESPN reported in early October that the Bucks had an interest in Crowder.
The Bucks have been linked with the 32-year-old former Marquette University player since Crowder and the Phoenix Suns agreed he would not join the team this year. Crowder has yet to play this season.
Analyses: It makes sense that the Bucks have an interest in Crowder. He’s a 6-foot-6, 235-pound forward who the Bucks would believe could still defend some of the biggest forwards in the Eastern Conference (think Kevin Durant and Jayson Tatum). Crowder made 34.8% of his three-pointers last season and is a career-high 34.6% three-point shooter, though he knocked down 38.9% of his threes during the Suns’ NBA Finals in 2020-21. The question would be how long does it take Crowder to get into shape after so much downtime, and then be able to transition into new roles within minutes off the bench.
Eric Gordon
NBA reporter Marc Stein reported that the Bucks offered Houston four second-round draft picks for the 34-year-old guard. Gordon is making about $19.5 million this season, so some players on the roster would have to be moved for the deal to work for the Bucks.
Analyses: Gordon averaged 12.2 points per game and shot 34% from behind the three-point line for the rebuilding Rockets, but made 41.2% of his threes last season and is a 37% shooter from the depth. Considering who would have to be removed from the Bucks roster to fit Gordon’s salary, three-point shooting would be a huge part of his worth. A former sixth man of the year, Gordon is still a more consistent offensive threat than some of the other veteran guards on the roster and has proven he can play with Jrue Holiday (2013-16 in New Orleans). Gordon is under contract through next year at around $20 million, so the expiring deal could have some value as well.
Reddish cam
The last one:
The Knicks sent Reddish across the country to Portland for Josh Hart. But it wasn’t just Reddish, as the Knicks also included Svi Mykhailiuk, Ryan Arcidiacano and the first draft pick the Trail Blazers.
The 23-year-old New York Knicks forward has been linked to the Bucks since December and the interest has remained. The Knicks reportedly sought second-round draft picks to displace Reddish, who has been unable to consistently get minutes for the Knicks.
Analyses: On paper, Milwaukee’s plethora of second-round picks match what the Knicks would like for Reddish, but the Bucks would still have to move a player off the roster to accommodate him. Reddish’s contract ($5.9 million for this year alone) would fit within the financial parameters the team is working within, as long as other players are moved out of the squad. The Bucks should think Reddish would be willing and able to defend at a high level in limited minutes off the bench as he rediscovers his three-point shooting from his 34 games in Atlanta in 2021-22, when he made 37.9% of his triples on 4.5 attempts per game. Reddish is a career-high 32.3% three-point shooter, but made just 28.7% of his threes in parts of two seasons with the Knicks.
Emanuel Quickley
Hoops Hype, a USA TODAY property, linked the Bucks to the Knicks guard in early January.
Analyses: The 23-year-old is averaging 27.2 minutes per game off the bench as a top backup for the Knicks, who are in the midst of their Eastern Conference playoff run. Kentucky’s No. 25 pick in the 2020 draft, Quickley is averaging a career-high 12.5 points per game but is shooting a career-low 32.9 percent from behind the three-point line. The Bucks should think that more open looks around their Big Three would bring Quickley back to his 35.6% career mark — or even his 38.9% rookie performance from deep.
Quickley is making $2.3 million this year and is under contract through the 2023-24 season at a reasonable number ($4.1 million), so the actual price also fits the Bucks’ fiscal situation. An, would provide youthful infusion to a veteran roster that will experience heavy turnover after this season. The question is if Quickley is indeed available, would the Knicks want the Bucks to move their 2029 first-round pick?
Moreover:Grayson Allen became one of the Bucks’ best defenders and even got a stamp of approval from Jrue Holiday
Moreover:Giannis Antetokounmpo moves to lead Eastern Conference All-Star Game ballot, into position to be a ‘captain’
Our subscribers make this reporting possible. Consider supporting local journalism by signing up for the Journal Sentinel at jsonline.com/deal.
DOWNLOAD THE APP: Get the latest news, sports and more
This article originally appeared in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Milwaukee Bucks Trade Rumors: Interest in Derrick Rose, Jae Crowder Covered
