Bucks News, Transactions, Trade Ideas - Trade Deadline 2/6/25 - 2:00 p.m. CDT

[BroncoBuck]

whats the deal with wanting butler? if he's engaged and interested you get a DOG. but he hasn't been engaged and interested since he went nuts on the bucks in the playoffs. Plus he wants a max extension. and he's 35. if theres a way to make the team older, jimmy is the guy.

Because the current Bucks are going nowhere and our options are extremely limited because of our cap situation, lack of picks and lack of desirable assets.

Any deal the Bucks make is going to come with a hefty amount of risk. It's just the reality of where we're at.

And Butler is a smaller risk because his contract is up at the end of the season. Middleton is going to opt in to his deal, dealing him now sheds that future burden.

[MickeyDavis]

So, don't trade for Jimmy because it breaks up the idealized version of our current team?

Btw, are the heat even interested in Middleton/Brook and maybe a pick 6 years from now? I'm not sure they would be. Other teams can and likely will make a better offer.

I doubt there's a single other team pursuing Jimmy besides Phoenix. We shouldn't give Miami anymore for Jimmy than they gave up to get him from Philly.

Yup. Josh Richardson, Hassan Whiteside and a conditionally protected future first round pick. And that was 30 year old Butler, not 35 year old Butler.

[rayallenscalves]

Put me in the boat of not wanting to include a 1st for Jimmy. I don't think there's that much of a difference between Jimmy and Middy outside of the Midds' injury potential, though Jimmy hasn't exactly been an iron man (he hasn't played more than 64 games in nearly a decade). I'd argue that a Middleton/Portis/Conny package should actually net us more than just Jimmy (e.g., draft picks).

[-Jragon-]

1. Butler can stagger with Giannis some so you wont always have 2 non shooters
2. Starting lineup wise, Butler replaces AJJ who is more of a slasher than shooter anyways
3. 35 for a gym rat isn't older body-wise than a 33 year old off-season cleanup surgery guy
4. Jimmy can get you stops and hustle rebounds in key playoff moments at the end of playoff games that Bobby and KM are traffic cones ... Butler is physical and will matchup with a Tatum/Brown with some attitude
5. I would hope for him to extend but getting all that salary off the books for non-starters isn't nothing -- Jimmy walks and we could actually still sign a 3rd banana next year that can start.

[drdrG]

A common thread on this board going back to last season was whether or not we could internally develop some help on the wing. Don't think many people had AJ Green and Ryan Rollins as the answer. AJax has made strides too

Optimistic take:

The Bucks are playing the long game right now. Middleton and Pat C minutes are way down. This has created an opportunity for the guys above to grow into an expanded role. Khris is finding his spots here and there and has been effective in limited minutes. Pat to his credit has looked fresher than he has in 2 years in his limited action recently.

At worst, it maintains/improves their trade value around the league. At best, we get fresh, proven playoff performers ready for bigger minutes down the stretch and stronger depth.

[GHOSTofSIKMA]

Beyond what one thinks the on-floor pros/cons would be, I think trading Khris and bringing in Butler would do some serious damage to the morale of the team. Ship out Giannis' best friend on the team, a Bucks legend, and a guy who everyone likes and respects for a locker room cancer? No thank you.

exactly!!

hes on the table ONLY if we know something dubious about khris health situation...not suspect....but know.

if the bucks feel somewhat confident middleton can stay healthy and functional even if load managed with knicks and bruises here and there.....for the forseeable future...lets say the next 3-4 years....then he could be the best value guy in the league for us each and every playoffs until giannis is mid 30s himself.....thats assuming we get him on a decent discount on his next deal which i think hed do almost automatically if he knows weve been loyal and hes a little compromised compared to hows hes been.

trading that for a more talented older malcontent borderline idiot....that costs a fortune... a guy who has only been net positive anywhere if hes "the man".... thats not even a good straight up deal if we think middletons health is manageable

[-Jragon-]

Jimmy isn't going to run sh#t with Giannis here. This "older" "idiot" will inspire fear in other teams come playoffs... fear...remember when we had to play him in a series? And he didnt have Giannis and Dame... the dude always makes the right play... he has basketball IQ. Instantly will have the highest bball IQ on the roster..

[GHOSTofSIKMA]

Jimmy isn't going to run sh#t with Giannis here. This "older" "idiot" will inspire fear in other teams come playoffs... fear...remember when we had to play him in a series? And he didnt have Giannis and Dame... the dude always makes the right play... he has basketball IQ. Instantly will have the highest bball IQ on the roster..

a self important jackass/dick that has tanked 4 teams and thinks he needs special treatment = idiot

i dont deny his talent. hes a hell of a number 1 if youre trying to drag guys to a higher level and everybody is catering to him and he gets his own set of rules.

so maybe idiot is the wrong term but to me hes the exact opposite of anybody id want to "try out" next to giannis on a mega deal while trading away arguably the best value contract on the roster in middleton if hes healthy

[EasyE31]

Butler has made 12 3s this year. Do we really want to add a non 3-point threat to the starting five with Giannis, and further complicate playoff spacing? You add Butler in place of Prince in the starting five, and you are trading usage away from Dame/GA for worse 3-point shooting (replacing Prince), while massively weakening the bench assuming you jettison Middleton and Portis. It does not make us better, period.

You fix this by starting Green instead of AJAX.

Dame/Green/Butler/Giannis/Portis has plenty of spacing.

[-Jragon-]

whats the deal with wanting butler? if he's engaged and interested you get a DOG. but he hasn't been engaged and interested since he went nuts on the bucks in the playoffs. Plus he wants a max extension. and he's 35. if theres a way to make the team older, jimmy is the guy.

Banking on the Giannis effect.. that his intensity and drive spark Butler while he also gets to play with his buddy Dame... they will likely push each other too

[Finn]

I think we will see this structure of a Butler deal.

Miami sends Butler to Milwaukee, Lakers 2026 2nd and Heat 2031 2nd to Pistons.

Bucks send Middleton, Portis, Bucks 2031 1st to Heat, Pat to Pistons

[buckboy]

Again if we are trading away our first round pick we need to trade it to OKC for multiple firsts.

I would be completely down with this if our GM had any clue of how to draft.

[EasyE31]

Setting Jimmy aside for a second:

Brook to Orlando for Cole Anthony, Goga Bitadze, and a future first.

Brook would be GREAT in Orlando. They play a slow pace, have excellent on ball defenders, and need a consistent center to anchor their defense. That team would be NASTY defensively.

This gives the Bucks the back up pg we need, an athletic center, and another pick to work with in bigger trades.

[ShootingtheJ]

Jimmy isn't going to run sh#t with Giannis here. This "older" "idiot" will inspire fear in other teams come playoffs... fear...remember when we had to play him in a series? And he didnt have Giannis and Dame... the dude always makes the right play... he has basketball IQ. Instantly will have the highest bball IQ on the roster..

I remember Jimmy getting out scored by Bryn Forbes while getting swept.

[fansinceforever]

whats the deal with wanting butler? if he's engaged and interested you get a DOG. but he hasn't been engaged and interested since he went nuts on the bucks in the playoffs. Plus he wants a max extension. and he's 35. if theres a way to make the team older, jimmy is the guy.

Because the current Bucks are going nowhere and our options are extremely limited because of our cap situation, lack of picks and lack of desirable assets.

Any deal the Bucks make is going to come with a hefty amount of risk. It's just the reality of where we're at.

And Butler is a smaller risk because his contract is up at the end of the season. Middleton is going to opt in to his deal, dealing him now sheds that future burden.

Bolding because you're absolutely right.

[Profound23]

Setting Jimmy aside for a second:

Brook to Orlando for Cole Anthony, Goga Bitadze, and a future first.

Brook would be GREAT in Orlando. They play a slow pace, have excellent on ball defenders, and need a consistent center to anchor their defense. That team would be NASTY defensively.

This gives the Bucks the back up pg we need, an athletic center, and another pick to work with in bigger trades.

Is there anyone else we can put in that trade besides Bitadze? He is trash.

[Profound23]

I think we will see this structure of a Butler deal.

Miami sends Butler to Milwaukee, Lakers 2026 2nd and Heat 2031 2nd to Pistons.

Bucks send Middleton, Portis, Bucks 2031 1st to Heat, Pat to Pistons

At that point we are praying for no injuries and once the playoffs start we are asking Dame, Butler, AJ Green, Giannis, and Lopez to all play 40+ minutes a piece per game.

[paulpressey25]

And Butler is a smaller risk because his contract is up at the end of the season. Middleton is going to opt in to his deal, dealing him now sheds that future burden.

Jimmy has a player option for $52.4 million. If he stinks it up here or gets injured, he’s opting in.

[EasyE31]

Setting Jimmy aside for a second:

Brook to Orlando for Cole Anthony, Goga Bitadze, and a future first.

Brook would be GREAT in Orlando. They play a slow pace, have excellent on ball defenders, and need a consistent center to anchor their defense. That team would be NASTY defensively.

This gives the Bucks the back up pg we need, an athletic center, and another pick to work with in bigger trades.

Is there anyone else we can put in that trade besides Bitadze? He is trash.

Not really, I've been talking about Cole Anthony and Wendell Carter since the offseason but I don't think the Magic can trade Carter after the extension they gave him.

[ShootingtheJ]

Because the current Bucks are going nowhere and our options are extremely limited because of our cap situation, lack of picks and lack of desirable assets.

Any deal the Bucks make is going to come with a hefty amount of risk. It's just the reality of where we're at.

And Butler is a smaller risk because his contract is up at the end of the season. Middleton is going to opt in to his deal, dealing him now sheds that future burden.

Bolding because you're absolutely right.

Why are you trying to save ownership luxury tax money? That doesn't help us win.