The Milwaukee Bucks may have spent the offseason putting themselves in position to think long term, but one proposed move would rip that plan apart.
Bleacher Report’s Zach Buckley floated a sign-and-trade that would send Jalen Duren to Milwaukee, and the price tag would be steep. If Brayden Burries is kept out of the deal, the Bucks would be handing over what amounts to their three best assets: Rollins, a rising two-way guard on one of the NBA’s best deals; Turner, who had a down year but still profiles as a quality center on both ends; and a high-end pick. For a team trying to build smartly, that is a massive ask.
Duren is a good player, but the source material makes the case that he is not nearly enough of a difference-maker to justify that kind of outlay. The biggest concern comes from the playoffs, where his production fell sharply.
After putting up 19.5 points per game on 65 percent shooting in the regular season, he dropped to 10.2 points on 51.4 percent shooting. He “looked like a shell of himself.”
That kind of swing is exactly why this idea should scare Milwaukee. Trading away three valuable pieces for a player who has already shown playoff issues would mean gambling the future on a big man who, at least right now, does not look like a franchise-altering answer.
The smarter play for the Bucks, according to the source, is to stay patient. After missing out on Peyton Watson, they should be looking to take on salary from teams that want to dump it in exchange for assets. If nothing appealing comes up, they should keep the current group together and head into the season with what they have.
That approach also leaves room for value to rise. Myles Turner’s stock could climb if he bounces back.
Tyler Herro could become one of the hottest names at the trade deadline if he meets expectations. Kyle Kuzma, too, could draw interest if he proves he can still play.
For now, the message is simple: Milwaukee should not be the team tossing major assets into a deal for Duren. After years of making risky swings to keep the Giannis Antetokounmpo era alive, the Bucks finally have a chance to be patient.
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