Bucks predicted to cut ties with $48 million center via trade to Pelicans

It may be time for the Milwaukee Bucks to cut ties with a staple in their frontcourt.

With superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo making clear the expectations are championship-or-bust this season, shaking up the roster no longer feels optional. Veteran center Brook Lopez is entering his seventh season with the team, but his services in Milwaukee could reach their end at the NBA trade deadline.

Bleacher Report’s Grant Hughes recently predicted the Bucks to part with the $48 million big man through a trade with the New Orleans Pelicans.

“The [Myles] Turner thinking applies here as well. Lopez offers similar spacing but even better interior defense. At 36, Lopez may not have many quality years left,” Hughes wrote. “But he’s anchored championship defenses in the recent past and has missed just seven games over the last two years. If the Bucks fall apart, New Orleans should swoop in for Lopez.”

The other two trade targets Hughes listed for the Pelicans are Indiana Pacers’ Turner and Portland Trail Blazers’ Robert Williams III. With New Orleans hinting at a potential small-ball lineup anchored by Zion Williamson and the recently extended Trey Murphy in the frontcourt, adding size is the most logical addition. At 7-foot-1, 282 pounds, Lopez does just that for the Pelicans.

Meanwhile, the Bucks could elevate the role of 29-year-old floor-stretching big man Bobby Portis, who could thrive alongside Antetokounmpo. Their defense would certainly take a hit, but it may be worth the exchange for Portis’ shooting and mobility.

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Publish date : 2024-10-21 22:39:00

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