Bucks News, Transactions, Trade Ideas - Moose Returns

[RiotPunch]

Let's say we trade for Bamba. Do you guys think he'd be starting over Bobby this season or would he be coming off the bench?

Bobby has earned the starting spot. Then when Brook comes back and he looks like the Brook we're used to, he'll probably start. How much playing time for a 3rd string center?

[Baddy Chuck]

I can appreciate Bamba's tools and youth but when you look at him being outplayed by Khem Birch and the other Lopez the past couple years the thought of him replacing a good player while trading our best asset kinda baffles me. Almost as much as the idea of trading for him to play behind Brook.

[BroncoBuck]

I can appreciate Bamba's tools and youth but when you look at him being outplayed by Khem Birch and the other Lopez the past couple years the thought of him replacing a good player while trading our best asset kinda baffles me. Almost as much as the idea of trading for him to play behind Brook.

He just seems like a contract year guy who will immediately fall back down to Earth once he gets paid. I’ve heard Russillo and a few other NBA analysts say people around the league believe that to be true as well.

[Baddy Chuck]

I can appreciate Bamba's tools and youth but when you look at him being outplayed by Khem Birch and the other Lopez the past couple years the thought of him replacing a good player while trading our best asset kinda baffles me. Almost as much as the idea of trading for him to play behind Brook.

He just seems like a contract year guy who will immediately fall back down to Earth once he gets paid. I’ve heard Russillo and a few other NBA analysts say people around the league believe that to be true as well.

But like also this contract year that people don't think he can sustain isn't that good....... Literally the only reason to me that you'd trade for him is if you believe he continues to build off this season and becomes a substantially more impactful player than a guy who can't even help the Magic when he's on the court. Unless he's your answer to replace Brook, which I'll say I don't personally think he is, trading Donte for him makes zero sense to me. To me you're trading Donte for a backup center. That seems dumb.

[Mtsportsfan]

I can appreciate Bamba's tools and youth but when you look at him being outplayed by Khem Birch and the other Lopez the past couple years the thought of him replacing a good player while trading our best asset kinda baffles me. Almost as much as the idea of trading for him to play behind Brook.

He just seems like a contract year guy who will immediately fall back down to Earth once he gets paid. I’ve heard Russillo and a few other NBA analysts say people around the league believe that to be true as well.

But like also this contract year that people don't think he can sustain isn't that good....... Literally the only reason to me that you'd trade for him is if you believe he continues to build off this season and becomes a substantially more impactful player than a guy who can't even help the Magic when he's on the court. Unless he's your answer to replace Brook, which I'll say I don't personally think he is, trading Donte for him makes zero sense to me. To me you're trading Donte for a backup center. That seems dumb.

Personally I think it would be a good move, Donte hasn't exactly instilled alot of confidence in his play , aside the fact we have 5 guys on the team just like him. So yeah , if we can can a decent big to burn minutes at the center so we are not burning out Giannis. Whether it's Bamba or somebody else. It seems to me that we have too many guys on the team that are almost exactly the same.

[ShootingtheJ]

Bamba isn't playing better in a contract year, he's playing at the exact same level he always has. That level was always better than Birch, RoLo, etc. Steve Clifford is a moron.

He's not great, but he's a productive rim protector who doesn't clog the lane.

I'm no longer advocating to add him, because center is not a need in the slightest.

[buckbeer]

Trade DDV + Hood + Semi for RoLo and Chuma Okeke

[Wonka]

Bamba isn't playing better in a contract year, he's playing at the exact same level he always has. That level was always better than Birch, RoLo, etc. Steve Clifford is a moron.

He's not great, but he's a productive rim protector who doesn't clog the lane.

I'm no longer advocating to add him, because center is not a need in the slightest.

How exactly isn’t adding another big man a need? We’ve been getting routinely bullied inside the last few weeks and Giannis is taking a beating. At the very least, another center to absorb some of the defensive/rebounding pressure off of Giannis and Bobby would be huge.

[randy84]

Bamba isn't playing better in a contract year, he's playing at the exact same level he always has. That level was always better than Birch, RoLo, etc. Steve Clifford is a moron.

He's not great, but he's a productive rim protector who doesn't clog the lane.

I'm no longer advocating to add him, because center is not a need in the slightest.

How exactly isn’t adding another big man a need? We’ve been getting routinely bullied inside the last few weeks and Giannis is taking a beating. At the very least, another center to absorb some of the defensive/rebounding pressure off of Giannis and Bobby would be huge.

Well if something happens to Giannis or Bobby the Bucks are going to be hurting. Their small ball lineup isn't nearly as effective as the Warriors.

[jakecronus8]

The thing with Bamba is if you’re still putting him on a top 5 pick level trajectory than you’ll be disappointed. If the Bucks however want to develop him into a Brook Lopez type role player he’s still on that trajectory if not there already.

Comparing their per 36 numbers (Bamba’s this year vs Lopez last year) they’re pretty close. Lopez is a more efficient offensive guy but Bamba shoots a better percentage from 3 and from the free throw line. Conversely, Bamba has a much higher rebound rate and is a freakish shot blocking presence.

The idea that the Bucks don’t need a center is crazy to me. Giannis is breaking down physically and mentally right now. He’s still putting up the numbers because he’s the freak but this can’t be a long term thing.

[ShootingtheJ]

Bamba isn't playing better in a contract year, he's playing at the exact same level he always has. That level was always better than Birch, RoLo, etc. Steve Clifford is a moron.

He's not great, but he's a productive rim protector who doesn't clog the lane.

I'm no longer advocating to add him, because center is not a need in the slightest.

How exactly isn’t adding another big man a need? We’ve been getting routinely bullied inside the last few weeks and Giannis is taking a beating. At the very least, another center to absorb some of the defensive/rebounding pressure off of Giannis and Bobby would be huge.

I said center. I've been very vocal about adding a long, quick, agile forward.

I don't care how Bamba tested, he is not even the slightest quick or agile on the basketball floor. Centers become liabilities in the playoffs.

[Prez]

21st in DREB% since letting Boogie go (btw, this is not me saying Boogie is good) and having just Giannis/Bobby as the only bigs. Compared to 11th in the games before that, and 4th, 1st, and 2nd in each of the previous 3 full seasons. This team used to beat the **** out of teams on the boards and that's happening to us now. 13th in DFG% within 6 feet this year, compared to 1st, 1st, 2nd the previous 3 years.

Center, or at least something resembling front court size on D/rebounding, is absolutely a huge need. Now if we're confident Brook is coming back and will be close to his top form by playoffs, aight, maybe shoot for a strong 3/4. But if that's unclear, you gotta get a 4/5 or straight up 5 imo.

And that’s not saying anything about the unnecessary wear and tear it’s putting on Giannis, which may not show up on the stat sheet or team metrics at all but is a major part of how this team might look in the playoffs.

Also put me in the camp that thinks Bamba is a pretty uninspiring player. Donte has sucked returning from the injury but I think I'd rather just hope he gets back to last year's level in the next couple months than trade him for Bamba. I'd look somewhere else.

[ChubsHarrison]

Bamba isn't playing better in a contract year, he's playing at the exact same level he always has. That level was always better than Birch, RoLo, etc. Steve Clifford is a moron.

He's not great, but he's a productive rim protector who doesn't clog the lane.

I'm no longer advocating to add him, because center is not a need in the slightest.

I will respectfully disagree. I admittedly have downplayed Lopez's impact over the years. But no longer. They need another C to free up Giannis on the defensive end. Bucks need a Center in the playoffs if they're going to be successful.

[FlagsFlyForever]

Feels like we might have hit our ceiling with Middleton last season. Middleton's trade value will probably never be any higher than it is right now.

So Middleton's ceiling is second best player on a championship team, therefore we should trade him? No player is ever untouchable but I don't think there are many realistic options for the Bucks to trade Middleton and improve our chances of winning a championship in the next two seasons. If Middleton wasn't on the Bucks, he's exactly the type of player we would be trying to acquire.

[jakecronus8]

Also put me in the camp that thinks Bamba is a pretty uninspiring player. Donte has sucked returning from the injury but I think I'd rather just hope he gets back to last year's level in the next couple months than trade him for Bamba. I'd look somewhere else.

Even if Donte is getting his sea legs under him, I think he’s clearly behind Grayson, Pat, and Wes in the pecking order. I don’t see a role for him. Bamba’s rebounding and ability to move Giannis off of bigs alone are more valuable to the team. Any offensive output would be gravy.

[FrieAaron]

21st in DREB% since letting Boogie go (btw, this is not me saying Boogie is good) and having just Giannis/Bobby as the only bigs. Compared to 11th in the games before that, and 4th, 1st, and 2nd in each of the previous 3 full seasons. This team used to beat the **** out of teams on the boards and that's happening to us now. 13th in DFG% within 6 feet this year, compared to 1st, 1st, 2nd the previous 3 years.

Center, or at least something resembling front court size on D/rebounding, is absolutely a huge need. Now if we're confident Brook is coming back and will be close to his top form by playoffs, aight, maybe shoot for a strong 3/4. But if that's unclear, you gotta get a 4/5 or straight up 5 imo.

And that’s not saying anything about the unnecessary wear and tear it’s putting on Giannis, which may not show up on the stat sheet or team metrics at all but is a major part of how this team might look in the playoffs.

Also put me in the camp that thinks Bamba is a pretty uninspiring player. Donte has sucked returning from the injury but I think I'd rather just hope he gets back to last year's level in the next couple months than trade him for Bamba. I'd look somewhere else.

This was our 21st game being outscored in the paint as well (9-12). All of last season it happened 22 times, which was our worst so far by a good margin. This teams identity used to be killing teams on the boards and in the paint which is why they basically had to shoot uncommonly good from three to beat us. Now we're seeing teams get easy baskets at will during stretches pretty consistently.

[paulpressey25]

Admittedly not that familiar with Bamba, so open to all opinions.

That said, if Hammond would trade Bamba for DDV even up, I think I'd do it. Simply based on the fact that Bamba would help us finish strong and win a title this year more than Donte will.

And with both guys becoming free agents, if it turns out Lopez can't come back, at least you can make the decision on re-signing Bamba this summer and thus filling a position of huge need. With DDV, we're just not going to be able to afford bringing he and Pat back, and think the organization will prioritize Pat.

[raferfenix]

If there’s a significant chance BroLo won’t come back healthy this season then yes we definitely need a solid 2nd string center if only for this year.

But is that even Mo Bamba? Maybe he’s a diamond in the rough being lost in the Magic trainwreck.

Or would someone like Marvin Bagley be a better target?

Honestly idk whether he’s someone we could or would wanna go after. But even with Donte playing so rusty, there’s plenty of cause to believe he’ll be back at least to solid 6th man kind of play soon enough, and we know the Kings like him.

That and he’s our only significant tradeable asset so I’d hope if we do deal him we can pull in something that moves the needle.

[CharityStripe34]

I'm also unfamiliar with Bamba, but watching some of his highlights he could definitely fit as a back-up C that can play starter-type minutes. He seems to be active, can shoot okay, is a good shot-blocker and rebounder. Dude put up 7 threes and 3 blocks against Philly. He's actually put some some monster numbers quite a few times. -

Would a package around DiVincenzo even be enough to snag him from Orlando? Doesn't seem likely as the poor kid has the yips around the rim.

[thonnisbeastley]

I'd do DDV + Nwora + 2nd(if necessary) for Bamba in a heartbeat. I feel like Hambone would as well. They aren't signing Bamba to a long-term deal. We aren't signing DDV to a long-term deal. Nwora has potential, but he won't be in the playoff rotation barring multiple injuries and someone will probably offer him a larger deal than we will(if we even want him back) based on his potential next season. We need a big, whether Brook comes back or not. Bamba is a legit 7 footer with decent 3 point range, a somewhat budget version of what Brook has provided for us - except he also has future potential and we get his Bird Rights which could be huge for us moving into next season depending on how things play out.