The Milwaukee Bucks have not exactly gone quiet this offseason, even if the action has been more rumor than movement lately. After dealing Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bobby Portis to the Miami Heat to kick things off, Milwaukee added two NBA Draft picks and brought back a handful of players. Since then, the front office has stayed active in the trade market, with several possible paths still on the table.
One of the clearest names tied to the Bucks is Denver Nuggets forward Peyton Watson. Milwaukee has been linked to him for a while, and the asking price has shifted along the way.
At first, Denver was said to be seeking around two first-round picks. More recently, HoopsHype confirmed the Nuggets have adjusted that ask to at least one first-round pick and one notable player.
Watson is coming off a career year, putting up 14.6 points, 4.9 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.1 blocks per game while shooting 49.1% from the field and 41.1% from 3-point range. That production has made him a real target, but Milwaukee is not alone.
The Bucks, Cleveland Cavaliers, Atlanta Hawks and Los Angeles Clippers have not put a first-round pick on the table, according to Michael Scotto in HoopsHype’s NBA Intel. Even so, Scotto reported that Milwaukee would be open to taking on Zeke Nnaji’s contract in a potential sign-and-trade for Watson.
"While the Bucks haven’t offered a first-round pick yet, they’d consider absorbing Nuggets forward Zeke Nnaji as part of a Watson sign-and-trade, HoopsHype has learned. Nnaji is owed a combined $14.93 million with two seasons remaining on his contract, including a player option for the 2027-28 season."
Nnaji played in 52 games for Denver and averaged 3.7 points and 2.6 rebounds per game.
That kind of move would do more than just add another young piece. Milwaukee is also trying to get its roster from 17 players down to 15 by opening night in October, so any deal that sends multiple bodies out could help solve more than one problem at once. Scotto noted that the Bucks, who have also been linked to Watson, are dealing with a roster crunch.
"Milwaukee, which has also been linked with interest in Peyton Watson, has a roster crunch and is looking to trim its roster from 17 to 15 players by opening night," Scotto wrote.
Scotto also pointed to another possible domino elsewhere, noting that Dan Woike of The Athletic reported the Los Angeles Lakers could be a trade partner for center Jericho Sims as a lob threat for Luka Dončić.
Watson is not the only wing Milwaukee has had on its radar. The Bucks have also shown interest in Bennedict Mathurin, and Scotto said they "touched base" on the restricted free agent in a possible sign-and-trade. In his report, he wrote that while the Los Angeles Clippers remain interested in re-signing Mathurin, the New Orleans Pelicans, Chicago Bulls, Milwaukee Bucks and Dallas Mavericks have all expressed sign-and-trade interest in the 24-year-old swingman.
"While the Los Angeles Clippers remain interested in re-signing restricted free agent Bennedict Mathurin, the New Orleans Pelicans, Chicago Bulls, Milwaukee Bucks, and Dallas Mavericks have expressed sign-and-trade interest in the 24-year-old swingman, league sources told HoopsHype."
Mathurin was traded by the Indiana Pacers to the Clippers near the trade deadline last season along with Isaiah Jackson, a 2026 first-round pick, a 2029 first-round pick and a 2028 second-round pick for Ivica Zubac and Kobe Brown. He played 54 games overall this season, with 28 coming for Indiana and 26 for Los Angeles, and averaged 17.6 points, 5.4 rebounds and 2.4 assists while shooting 43% from the field and 31.5% from deep.
Milwaukee has some flexibility to work with, too. The Bucks have the full non-taxpayer mid-level exception worth $15.04 million and a $25.46 million traded player exception from the Antetokounmpo deal.
For now, Watson remains the priority target, though the Cavaliers are becoming more aggressive for the 23-year-old and could push Milwaukee to adjust. Mathurin is there as another option, but the fit is different. The Bucks are clearly still searching for a young addition, and they are not done exploring ways to make that happen.
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