It’s been a nightmare start to the season for the Milwaukee Bucks.
Heading into Friday night’s game against the New York Knicks, the Bucks are 2-6 and rank 13th in the Eastern Conference standings.
Nothing has seemingly gone right for the Bucks, and the seat might already be hot for head coach Doc Rivers after the team fired Adrian Griffin 43 games into last season.
According to Spotrac, Antetokounmpo is making $54.1 million for 2024-25 and is owed over $121 million the next two seasons. Rumors have been swirling about the two-time NBA MVP’s availability and if the Bucks will trade him.
However, one prominent NBA insider squashed that rumor while revealing the Bucks are canvassing the league to upgrade their roster.
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NBA insider reveals Milwaukee Bucks looking to make deal to improve team
ESPN’s Brian Windhorst reports the Bucks want to make this roster work despite the way last season ended and the rough start this year.
“The speculation is true. The Bucks are indeed starting to canvas the league for a trade, league executives told ESPN. But no, not that trade. The concept of two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo reaching the trade market is ripe for rumors and trade machine computations, but it’s not a reality as of now for Antetokounmpo or the Bucks, sources said,” Windhorst reports. “Teams have let the Bucks know in recent months that they will make an offer for the Greek Freak if that day ever comes. But those are incoming calls, not outgoing, and it’s likely to remain that way.”
The Bucks are willing to make a deal to add talent around Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard. However, according to Windhorst, the Bucks have obstacles in their way.
“Because Milwaukee is in the second apron of the luxury tax, it is prohibited from aggregating salaries to make a deal and from taking back more money than it sends out,” noted Windhorst.
Though the Bucks are off to a 2-6 start to the season, the Eastern Conference is incredibly weak right now. Only two teams are above .500 in the Cleveland Cavaliers and Boston Celtics. The Bucks are 13th in the Eastern Conference standings and just two games behind the 4-4 Indiana Pacers for third.
“The East doesn’t look that formidable right now,” an Eastern Conference executive told ESPN. “If I were them I would play the long game and believe in Giannis and Dame. The problem is I don’t think they’re beating Boston even if they hit their stride.”