If the Milwaukee Bucks are serious about chasing Jalen Duren, they’re going to have to bring a real offer to Detroit. The kind that actually gets the Pistons to pick up the phone.
That’s the premise behind Kevin O’Connor’s latest Yahoo! Sports mock deal, which had Milwaukee sending Myles Turner and Jaime Jaquez Jr. to Detroit for Duren.
Turner would need to be part of any sign-and-trade setup, but the bigger issue for the Bucks is the other name in the package. Moving Jaquez would be the wrong call.
Jaquez should not be untouchable in every scenario. If the return is right, Milwaukee can and should listen.
But the Bucks ought to be doing everything they can to hold onto him. He’s one of the more intriguing breakout candidates heading into next season, and there’s a real path for him to become a high-level piece sooner rather than later.
After spending most of his first three seasons coming off the bench, Jaquez appears lined up to start at small forward for the Bucks. That alone changes the picture.
He’s also in line for a contract extension depending on how he performs, which should give him plenty of motivation. If he takes advantage of the opportunity and builds on last season’s production, he could even push himself into Most Improved Player conversations.
That’s why sending him out for Duren, even with an All-Star-caliber return, feels like a tough one to justify. Milwaukee should be looking elsewhere.
O’Connor also floated a version of the deal built around AJ Green instead, and that path makes more sense for the Bucks. Green is a guard, and Milwaukee already has plenty of those.
Moving him would create more runway for Gary Trent Jr., who needs a meaningful role if the Bucks are going to make sense of the controversial contract extension they handed him this summer. It would also open up minutes for younger guards like Kasparas Jakucionis and Brayden Burries, rather than leaving them buried on the bench.
There’s a Detroit angle here too. The Pistons could have real interest in Green because of his shooting, especially alongside rising wing Ausar Thompson.
Jaquez, by contrast, looks like a clunky fit next to Thompson and Detroit because of his non-existent outside jumper. That’s why Milwaukee might be able to sell Green as the cleaner basketball fit.
If Detroit is willing to engage, a package built around Turner, Green, and draft capital is at least a conversation starter. And if this Duren chase keeps going, that may be the Bucks’ best route forward.
In Other News...
Bucks Starting Lineup Battle Is Raising One Big Preseason Concern
At Bucks media day, Taylor Jenkins made it clear the first group on the floor is not going to be handed out as a reward for past status. Milwaukee has been working through multiple starting lineups in preseason practices, with Jenkins stressing that spots will be earned this season as he looks for the right combination around a roster that still has some moving parts. One look that surfaced, featuring Ryan Rollins, Tyler Herro, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Kyle Kuzma and Myles Turner, offered a glimpse at the kind of balance Milwaukee is exploring, even if nothing is set yet.
For a team trying to sort out roles before the games count, the bigger issue is less about who starts than how quickly the pieces fit together. The Bucks have plenty of talent to work with, but preseason is now doubling as a proving ground, and the ongoing competition for those five opening spots is the clearest sign that Jenkins wants clarity before settling on anything permanent. In the background, co-owner Wes Edens also addressed the business side of the franchise, saying he has not considered selling his stake, leaving the basketball questions to dominate the conversation for now. [Read more 🡒]
Bucks Left Waiting As Jalen Duren Situation Takes A Tough Turn
Jalen Durens market is suddenly looking a lot more complicated for the teams that had hoped to pry him loose, including Milwaukee. The Pistons have reportedly shut down sign-and-trade talks and are pushing to keep the young center in Detroit, backing that stance with a five-year, $200 million offer that signals just how highly they value him.
For the Bucks, who were among the clubs monitoring the situation, the path to getting involved now depends on Durens next move. He has a qualifying offer decision looming, and if he chooses that route, it could reshape both his free agency and any chance for another team to get in the mix. For now, Milwaukee is left waiting while Detroit holds firm. [Read more 🡒]
Bucks Fans Should Watch What Sean Sweeney Is Building In Orlando
The coaching change in Orlando is already giving the Bucks another East team to keep an eye on. Sean Sweeney, now the Magics head coach, is making no secret of what he wants this group to become again: a defense-first team that can pressure opponents, create turnovers and get back to the level that once made Orlando so difficult to play against. At media day, Sweeney and a mix of young Magic players, including Anthony Black, Wendell Carter Jr., Jase Richardson and Izaiyah Nelson, talked through where they fit in that plan and what their defensive jobs may look like.
For Milwaukee, the interest is obvious. Orlando has the kind of length and athleticism that can make life annoying for teams already, and Sweeney is trying to turn that into a clear identity rather than a loose collection of traits. If the Magic buy in quickly, they could become one of the leagues more disruptive defensive groups again, which would matter in a conference where the Bucks are already measuring themselves against every tough out. [Read more 🡒]