Milwaukee Bucks Should Find A Way To Trade For De’Aaron Fox

MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN – JANUARY 14: De’Aaron Fox #5 of the Sacramento Kings and Giannis Antetokounmpo #34 of the Milwaukee Bucks exchange words during the first half of the game at Fiserv Forum on January 14, 2024 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by John Fisher/Getty Images)

Getty Images

The Milwaukee Bucks are clearly going all in for the present. That became crystal clear when they waived and stretched an injured Damian Lillard to free up enough cap space to sign Myles Turner in free agency.

Turner is a strong fit alongside Giannis Antetokounmpo in the frontcourt. He’s a floor-spacing big who can protect the rim—essentially a younger Brook Lopez with more mobility. The hope is that he and Giannis can pick up where Lopez left off and even push the ceiling a little higher.

But moving on from Lillard created a different kind of problem—beyond the financial burden of his stretched contract. The Bucks now lack a legit starting point guard and a reliable second scoring option.

Antetokounmpo is expected to take on full-time ball-handling and playmaking duties. While he’s capable, asking him to initiate the offense, create shots, score 30 a night, and defend at an elite level is asking for trouble. It’s too much, even for him.

With Lillard gone, the Bucks will now piece together the point guard role with a mix of Ryan Rollins, Kevin Porter Jr., and Cole Anthony.

Rollins might be the best fit next to Antetokounmpo because of his defense and spot-up shooting, but he’s not a floor general. Porter Jr. is better suited for bench minutes, where he can create in isolation. Anthony is more of a spark plug than a true lead guard.

If you have three point guards and still no idea who should start, you probably don’t have one at all.

That’s why Milwaukee should be watching the De’Aaron Fox situation in San Antonio like a hawk.

Fox was acquired by the Spurs in a three-team trade in February with the Kings and Bulls. In exchange, San Antonio gave up four first-round picks and three second-rounders. It was a bold move, especially considering they already had last year’s Rookie of the Year, Stephon Castle, at point guard. Then, they used the No. 2 overall pick in this year’s draft to select another guard, Dylan Harper.

Now the Spurs have Fox, Castle, and Harper—three point guards all deserving of minutes. And that’s a problem.

Castle and Harper are clearly part of San Antonio’s long-term plans. Fox, on the other hand, is 27, entering the final year of his contract, and eligible for a four-year, $229 million extension on August 2 (six months after the trade). If he doesn’t sign it right away, the Spurs might start thinking about their options. That’s when Milwaukee should jump in.

Fox checks every box for what the Bucks need: an elite playmaker, a proven scorer, a dynamic backcourt presence who can take pressure off Giannis. He would instantly become their No. 2 option and elevate the team’s ceiling in the Eastern Conference.

But here’s the problem—Milwaukee has almost nothing to offer in a trade.

The Spurs just sent out a mountain of picks to get Fox. The Bucks can’t match that. The most they can offer is an unprotected 2031 first-round pick, a 2032 pick swap, and a 2031 second-rounder. That’s it. That’s the entire war chest.

On top of that, Milwaukee would have to match salary. That likely means sending out Kyle Kuzma. Depending on how the Spurs view Kuzma, he could be seen as a neutral or even negative asset, especially if they want to go young and lean into a rebuild around Castle and Harper (and, of course, Victor Wembanyama).

So yeah—it would take a miracle. The math doesn’t work. The assets don’t line up. And all signs point to Fox signing a long-term extension with San Antonio anyway.

But even if it’s a long shot, this is the kind of move the Bucks should be chasing.

If Milwaukee wants to squeeze one more championship run out of the Giannis window, they need another creator who can take over when Giannis sits, when he’s off, or when the defense clamps down. They need someone who can win them a playoff game—not just help keep the offense afloat.

Fox is that guy.

He’s coming off another strong year, averaging 23.5 points, 6.3 assists, and 1.5 steals per game. He’s dynamic in transition, deadly in the midrange, and he doesn’t shy away from the moment. He’s exactly what this Bucks team is missing post-Dame.

Will it happen? Probably not.

Should they try anyway? Absolutely.

Milwaukee’s all-in push doesn’t work if Antetokounmpo is doing everything himself. If there’s any path, any opening, any hesitation from San Antonio about locking Fox up long-term—the Bucks have to be first in line.

Even if it’s a pipe dream, it’s a dream worth chasing.