The Milwaukee Bucks are just 8-9 on the season, which is a far cry from what they imagined before the year started. However, if you consider that they started 1-6 and at one point lost six games in a row, their record is impressive. Milwaukee is currently on a four-game winning streak Eastern Conference.
As Bucks fans know all too well, the team suffered its worst moment of the season and then a run of success without three-time All-Star Khris Middleton. The team’s all-time leader in three-pointers and three-point attempts had surgery on both ankles in the offseason. Unfortunately, his recovery took longer than anyone expected.
NBA analyst suggests Milwaukee Bucks trade Khris Middleton for Jerami Grant
Bucks stars Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard have started this season powerful. Giannis leads the NBA in scoring with 32.4 points per game, while Lillard is averaging 25.2 points and 7.3 assists per game.
While the players on Milwaukee’s roster took some time to hit their stride, the fact is that many of them eventually found their niche. This is evident from a series of four victories in a row.
However, one weakness that has become obvious is the lack of defensive depth in the frontcourt. Brook Lopez and Giannis are above-average defenders, but Bobby Portis certainly isn’t. He had three blocked shots in the Bucks’ last win over the Charlotte Hornets, but his other shots have hampered defenses throughout the year.
With Middleton returning from injury soon, Greg Schwartz from Bleacher Report thinks Milwaukee should trade him and several younger players for Portland Trailblazers’ Jerami Grant:
“Replacing Khris Middleton and some juvenile talent and/or draft picks with Grant would lend a hand strengthen the Antetokounmpo-Lillard duo if the Bucks want to keep their stars together. He would be a reliable candidate for the third goal, and defensively he is versatile enough to defend three positions.
Grant is currently averaging 16.4 points, 3.5 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 0.9 blocks and 1.1 steals per game in Portland. These are certainly numbers that could potentially strengthen Milwaukee’s frontcourt, but there are a few problems with this trade idea.
Are the Milwaukee Bucks trading Khris Middleton?
For a deal to work in any sport, at least two teams must be interested in making the deal. The truth is that the Bucks probably don’t want to trade Middleton. But even If indeed, there aren’t many NBA teams on the market where a player making more than $30 million a year hasn’t played a full season in two years.
In other words, you shouldn’t be so confident that the Trailblazers will want Middleton.
But for the sake of argument, let’s assume so. Grant’s numbers may seem decent on paper, but they also point to a slight decline.
Grant shot 40/45/82 from the floor last year, averaging 21.0 points per game. Now he shoots 38/35/83.
Of course, it is still early in the season, but Grant’s production should be monitored by all teams that might be interested in replacing him.
It is safe and sound to say that this is one trading idea that will not be implemented.
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