6 Bigs Available To Milwaukee Bucks In A Trade

The Milwaukee Bucks have a solid big man rotation of Giannis Antetokounmpo, Brook Lopez and Bobby Portis. The trio helped propel them to an NBA championship just two years ago.

If we’re being picky, however, there could be room for improvement. Both now and in the long term.

Despite having another tremendous season, Lopez is 34-years-old and there’s no telling how much time he has remaining in the NBA. Milwaukee doesn’t have his long-term replacement on the roster. Could they find one in a trade?

Portis was also benched for the majority of the 2021 second-round series against the Brooklyn Nets. He rebounded nicely in their next two series, but he may not be a 16-game player like Milwaukee needs.

Given all of that, let’s check out six bigs who could be had in a trade. These players are both available from their respective teams AND have salaries that could be matched by Milwaukee in a deal. The who and what the Bucks would send back is out of the scope of this series.

P.J. Washington

Washington is having a breakout campaign for Charlotte at just the right time. He’ll be a restricted free agent in 2023 and is earning himself some nice money. His scoring efficiency has dipped this season, but he’s proven he can handle a larger offensive load. That may not be necessary in Milwaukee, but it’s nice to know it’s an option. His defensive versatility would fit in perfectly.

Myles Turner

A Turner trade would likely have to include Lopez and be a major shakeup on the roster. Turner has the skills to anchor the Bucks’ defense in a similar fashion. He’s long, wiry and athletic with a great feel for blocking shots. He can also stretch the floor to the three-point line where he’s knocking down a career-high 40.9 percent.

Jarred Vanderbilt

Vanderbilt’s defensive versatility would be a great fit in Milwaukee. He’s a solid defender all over the court and could also spend some minutes playing alongside two bigs at the three. There isn’t much offensive game to speak of. His contract is team-friendly through the 2023-24 season.

Kelly Olynyk

Olynyk would be an interesting acquisition for the Bucks. He spends most of his time at center and is a pretty good tertiary shot-creator from that position. He’s a willing passer who could also add a valuable shooter to the roster. He’s been on playoff teams in the past, however, where he couldn’t stay on the court in specific matchups. That’s a red flag for a team looking for those 16-game players.

Jakob Poeltl

Poeltl’s salary would fit perfectly into a deal for Grayson Allen. The Austrian has great size at 7-foot-1 to give Milwaukee another option to defend Joel Embiid with. He can also rebound and is an underrated playmaker at center.

Richaun Holmes

Holmes is a good versatile defender who should hold up well in the playoffs. His versatility would be a nice fit behind Antetokounmpo and Lopez. He doesn’t have much of an offensive game which would be a problem as teams would likely use their other big to help on Antetokounmpo. His salary is workable.