Three potential Bucks trade targets to help Giannis

Three Potential Milwaukee Bucks Trade Targets to Help Giannis

What players around the league could spruce up this Bucks offense and make a big enough splash to keep Giannis happy and Milwaukee contending deep into the playoffs? Here's three names who have been linked to Milwaukee before the trade deadline who could really make a splash in Cream City:

1. LaMelo Ball

If you tried to build the perfect player to pair with Giannis in a lab, you'd be hard-pressed to think of an archetype with a better build of complementary skills than LaMelo Ball.

Ball is a superconnector pace-pushing outlet-tossing handoff extraordinaire relocating 3pt sniper assist machine.

A one-man highlight show and maybe the most popular player in the league these days between his no look passes and insane degree of difficulty shotmaking, not to mention his fashionable Puma sneakers.

Adding a shooter with Ball's relocating 3pt gravity to run handoffs and pick-and-rolls with in the two-man game alongside Antetokounmpo would fully unlock Giannis' rim-rolling play-finishing skill-set while providing him maximum spacing whether he's on or off the ball.

LaMelo Ball's offensive role malleability, next-level playmaking, and elite shooting versatility make him an easy-money fit next to The Greek Freak.

2. Michael Porter Jr.

Porter is off to an insane scoring season, increasing efficiency and degree of difficulty while increasing volume, resulting in career-highs across the board.

Michael Porter Jr. is averaging 26 PPG - 3.4 APG / 2.6 TOV - 7.5 REB - 1.1 STL shooting 58% 2P% on 9 twos, 40% 3P% on 9 threes, and 84% FT% on 5 free throws, making a case for Most Improved and All-Star in Brooklyn

MPJ has shown a willingness to accept a lesser role on a team with championship aspirations, yet if Milwaukee traded the farm for him, they'd need everything he can give them as a big wing rocket launcher next to the downhill force drive-and-kick tank from Greece.

The Giannis Antetokounmpo - Michael Porter Jr. pick-and-pops would be a lethal combination, and having those two shot-blockers plus Myles Turner in the frontcourt would make it extra hard for opponents to score at the rim.

3. Zach Lavine

You may see this name and think, 'Lavine's mostly been on average or losing teams, and we want winners; this is a bad fit;' and, look, you're not wrong.

Lavine's teams have a 255-427 record over his career.

There's just a chance, if you'll sit with me, that Zach Lavine gets a bad wrap.


He's spent his career in Minnesota, Chicago, and Sacramento, when those teams weren't exactly at the highest stages of contending.

The organizations have mostly been rebuilding or trying to compete for 7-seeds, which most fans despise as the treadmill of mediocrity.


"Why do we fall? So we can get back up." - Alfred The Butler

Individually, Lavine's one of the most efficient scorers in the league, and has been for quite some time.

Over his last SIX seasons, Lavine scores and shoots at an insane rate all over the court:

24 PPG
5 REB
4 AST / 3 TOV
1 STL
62% TS%

40% 3P% on 2389 3PA
56% 2P% on 3314 2PA
85% FT% on 1590 FTA

19% AST% / 12% TOV%
3.0 Offensive BPM (1.7 Total BPM)


In those six seasons, Lavine is shooting such insane percentages on such a high volume, one has to conclude that the scoring efficiency and shooting versatility would translate to any situation.

Any team can win basketball games if they cover up Lavine defensively and don't rely on him as a playmaker, rather they should aim to reap the benefits of any good reads Zach brings, which are plenty.

This dunk contest champion 3pt shooter walking NBA Jam highlight would stretch the floor vertically and horizontally next to Giannis whether Lavine is shooting on the ball (32% on 3.6 3PA) or off the ball. (46% 3P% on 3 3PA), despite a down year with the pull-up.

While he might not have Ja Morant's spotlight, Zach Lavine's tough shotmaking from every level on the court along with his explosive first step and bounce would add a dynamic scoring option next to Antetokounmpo.

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