It’s clear that the Milwaukee Bucks are going to shake up their roster a bit before next season, as Giannis Antetokounmpo is playing out the final year of his contract, and the team will need to advance past the second round of the playoffs if it hopes to retain him.
Antetokounmpo is eligible to sign a super-max extension in the near future, but it’s highly unlikely that he will. Instead, it makes more sense for him to see what moves the team makes, and how it performs this upcoming season. And, not only that, he’d also be able to test the free-agent market next summer.
But in the meantime, the pressure is on the Bucks to make a few moves, especially to upgrade their backcourt. Ownership has already indicated it’ll spend money to acquire players, even if it results in paying the luxury tax, but that remains to be seen. Point guard remains the Bucks’ biggest need, as Eric Bledsoe hasn’t been getting the job done in the playoffs. As such, Chris Paul has been talked about as a potential trade acquisition, and apparently, so has Victor Oladipo, according to a report from Kevin Clark of The Ringer. It states that the Bucks have been in contact with the Pacers about a potential trade for Oladipo, who is entering the final year of his deal.
Oladipo’s injury history, as well as the possibility of him leaving in free agency next summer, add some potential risk to the move, but his ceiling is high. It will be an interesting footnote to follow going forward.
