The Milwaukee Bucks are staring at a roster squeeze, and Jericho Sims looks like one of the easiest pieces to move before the NBA season gets rolling.
That’s the view from the New York Post’s Khobi Price, who pointed to Sims as a clean fit for the Los Angeles Lakers, a team that still needs help in the frontcourt. With Nick Richards now signed by the Heat, the center market has thinned out fast. The remaining realistic names are Doncic’s former teammate Dwight Powell, Drew Eubanks and Bismack Biyombo.
Sims stands out because the Lakers don’t have much draft capital to work with. That makes a bigger swing hard to pull off, but a smaller deal could be enough. Sims picked up his $2.8 million player option, and because his contract is expiring, one of the Lakers’ few remaining second-round picks could be enough to get something done.
Los Angeles has been trying to patch the frontcourt hole left by Anthony Davis in the Luka Doncic trade. Deandre Ayton flashed the upside of a former No. 1 pick, but not enough to fully settle the spot. This summer, the Lakers gave Walker Kessler a monster deal to be the five-man moving forward, while former Buck Sandro Mamukelashvili was added in free agency as the likely starting power forward.
Kevon Looney is also on a minimum deal, but Sims brings something the Lakers could use right away: athleticism, a lob threat and defensive versatility. That kind of profile fits Doncic well, and it would give Los Angeles another answer in a roster mix that still hasn’t fully solved its defensive issues.
For Sims, the appeal is just as obvious. He’s currently behind Myles Turner and Kel’el Ware in the Bucks’ rotation, and a move to the Lakers would open the door to a bigger role.
Sims isn’t the only Milwaukee player who could be on the move, either. Turner is another possible trade candidate because of his floor-spacing at center and his defense. Kyle Kuzma is a veteran on one of the team’s pricier contracts and could fetch solid draft value in return.
The backcourt could also be a source of movement. Tyler Herro is eligible for an extension, but the Bucks could still deal him before the season. Kevin Porter Jr. is on an expiring contract, Caris LeVert looks like the odd man out among the guards, and AJ Green could also draw interest thanks to his shooting.
Milwaukee currently has 17 standard contracts, so it has to trim down to the league’s 15-man limit. Sims remains a useful depth piece, but Pete Nance and Ousmane Dieng give the Bucks small-ball center options if Taylor Jenkins decides to go that route.
There are plenty of paths the Bucks can take before opening night. Moving Sims would bring back another draft pick without requiring Milwaukee to give up much in return. For now, it’s just a matter of seeing how the front office handles the numbers.
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The issue is hard to miss, though. Ware led the NBA in defensive goaltending violations last season with 21, a reminder that raw tools do not always translate cleanly in game situations. If he can trim that mistake-prone edge and stay disciplined around the rim, his value to Milwaukee could rise quickly, because the Bucks are looking for dependable defense more than flashes. [Read more 🡒]
Brayden Burries Has A Real Chance To Crash The All-Rookie Race
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For Burries, the opportunity is only the first part of the equation. He still has to turn those minutes into steady production and development, because the All-Rookie race tends to reward the first-year players who are visible every night and grow quickly as the season unfolds. The Bucks do not need him to be Giannis, obviously, but they do need him to look like a piece worth watching, and that is what makes his early season so intriguing. [Read more 🡒]