TITLE: Bucks Looking to Add Talent, Not Sell, as Injuries and 11-16 Record Mount
SLUG: bucks-looking-to-add-talent-not-sell
CONTENT:
Milwaukee, WI — The Milwaukee Bucks have informed rival front offices that they intend to strengthen, rather than dismantle, their roster despite a sluggish 11-16 start and the current absence of Giannis Antetokounmpo, league sources told The Athletic’s Eric Nehm.
Antetokounmpo, sidelined by a calf strain, is under contract through the 2027-28 season with a player option in the final year. Persistent speculation that the two-time MVP could eventually seek a trade has not altered Milwaukee’s stance; the organization is instead exploring ways to bring in immediate help that could solidify its core and encourage the superstar to remain long-term.
Milwaukee entered the season having signed center Myles Turner, one of the top free agents, while stretching Damian Lillard’s contract across five years. Cap flexibility remains: the club sits roughly $11.5 million below the luxury-tax threshold and about $19.5 million under the first tax apron, according to Spotrac and ESPN’s Bobby Marks. That room could prove vital as the Bucks weigh deals.
Wing depth is a pressing concern, especially with Taurean Prince out due to a neck injury, and the roster features a glut of guards 6-foot-5 and shorter. Milwaukee is among the teams linked to Sacramento’s Zach LaVine and is open to absorbing additional salary from teams eager to trim payroll, Nehm reported. Potential options include taking on a player with a longer contract that matches a current Buck’s salary or acquiring a larger current-year deal from a tax-sensitive club.
Trade leverage is limited by draft capital: Milwaukee can offer just one future first-round pick, either in 2031 or 2032, before the league’s Feb. 2026 trade deadline.
Source: Hoops Rumors
