Bucks prioritize roster upgrades as season wobbles
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The Milwaukee Bucks have told rival franchises they are looking to acquire additional talent rather than dismantle their roster, according to a report by Eric Nehm of The Athletic.
Milwaukee opened the week with an 11-16 record and is currently without star forward Giannis Antetokounmpo, who is recovering from a calf strain. Despite the slow start, team officials believe the campaign can still be salvaged and are exploring moves that would bolster the lineup.
Nehm wrote that club leadership is even considering a “meaningful” addition as a show of continued commitment to contention. Antetokounmpo is signed through the 2027-28 season and holds a player option for the final year, adding urgency to maintain a competitive roster around him.
The Bucks were active last offseason, inking center Myles Turner and stretching Damian Lillard’s contract over five years. Even with those transactions, the roster remains thin on wings; Taurean Prince is sidelined by a neck injury, and the depth chart is heavy on guards listed at 6-5 or shorter.
Financially, Milwaukee has room to maneuver. Spotrac lists the club at more than $11.5 million below the luxury-tax threshold, while ESPN’s Bobby Marks calculates roughly $19.5 million of space beneath the first tax apron. That flexibility could allow the Bucks to absorb salary from a team eager to cut costs.
The most practical scenario, Nehm noted, involves taking on a larger or longer contract. However, Milwaukee’s limited draft assets—it controls only one future first-round pick—could complicate negotiations as the trade deadline approaches.
For now, the organization’s message is clear: it intends to add, not subtract.
Source: Hoops Wire
