Bucks News, Transactions, Trade Ideas -Trade Deadline Thursday 2 pm CT

[emunney]

Would love to know why the Bucks don't give Gabriel a look.

Could just be roster space. Pretty sure he's not 2 way eligible. But yeah, he should be on a roster if not in a rotation.

[Frank Nova]

Would love to know why the Bucks don't give Gabriel a look.

Could just be roster space. Pretty sure he's not 2 way eligible. But yeah, he should be on a roster if not in a rotation.

I’m not caught up on current times with Gabriel I guess. I’ve seen his name thrown around here a bunch and ppl lobbying for him, why? I don’t remember him during his time with LAL being anything more than just a garbage time player. Has he really turned a corner? He’s gotta be in his mid/late 20s by now, I’m just wondering where the fascination with him comes from? Can someone sell me on this idea…?

[SirChurros]

I think the idea that we need to take the ball out of Giannis hands for me is dieing a little. Giannis is having a peak offensive year and some may attribute it to the addition of Dame (and they’re not wrong) but Giannis actually struggled early on trying to defer, making Dame comfortable.
Giannis is greatly benefiting from shooting less threes. He’s benefiting from the better spacing. He’s also benefiting from not having to be solely responsible in late shot clock situations as there’s now someone to defer to. All these are positives.

But Giannis doesn’t need anyone to take the ball out of his hands. He needs players around him that clear out for him and force their defenders to stay home. Players that can make open threes, attack close outs and swing a pass. Players that can punish miss matches. Dame fits that description, but he’s also so much more, which if we would fully embrace we would have to take away from Giannis’ game.

Giannis can be very effective without the ball in his hands if he wants to be. If getting Dame going means the ball is in his hands more, you have to do it, IMO.

[emunney]

Would love to know why the Bucks don't give Gabriel a look.

Could just be roster space. Pretty sure he's not 2 way eligible. But yeah, he should be on a roster if not in a rotation.

I’m not caught up on current times with Gabriel I guess. I’ve seen his name thrown around here a bunch and ppl lobbying for him, why? I don’t remember him during his time with LAL being anything more than just a garbage time player. Has he really turned a corner? He’s gotta be in his mid/late 20s by now, I’m just wondering where the fascination with him comes from? Can someone sell me on this idea…?

Just a smart, mobile big who deserves the chance Connaughton got 5 years ago at the same age.

[BUCKnation]

Seems weird that Memphis wouldn't even field calls for Smart, but w/e.

[WeekapaugGroove]

Seems weird that Memphis wouldn't even field calls for Smart, but w/e.

I wouldn't really take reports like that seriously this time of year. Lots of guys 'arent available' and then suddenly get traded. We're in prime lying season.

Sent from my SM-F731U using RealGM mobile app

[Ron Swanson]

Idk, to me it never really made sense for them to trade Smart. Memphis is clearly gonna punt on this season, but it's not like they're entering a multi-year rebuild.

[DanteSunday]

https://fanspo.com/u/dusti/trades/0Iz98_RecKPGVc/realistic

[DanteSunday]

https://fanspo.com/u/dusti/trades/0Iz98_RecKPGVc/realistic

I’m trying to create something I think could be realistic. Knicks have so many 2024 picks that I think the only way Bucks can get a “big fish” is if they are able to get them involved in a multi-team deal. My opinion anyway

[raferfenix]

Smart nugget is more evidence Bobby is in ongoing trade talks.

Adams trade solved a luxury tax problem for Memphis. Not sure if they are motivated to cut additional salary but they definitely wouldn’t want to take on much more.

[Frank Nova]

Could just be roster space. Pretty sure he's not 2 way eligible. But yeah, he should be on a roster if not in a rotation.

I’m not caught up on current times with Gabriel I guess. I’ve seen his name thrown around here a bunch and ppl lobbying for him, why? I don’t remember him during his time with LAL being anything more than just a garbage time player. Has he really turned a corner? He’s gotta be in his mid/late 20s by now, I’m just wondering where the fascination with him comes from? Can someone sell me on this idea…?

Just a smart, mobile big who deserves the chance Connaughton got 5 years ago at the same age.

Smart and mobile is basically the opposite of Bobby so that would be good.

[Ron Swanson]

With Randle now out a decent while and Robinson likely still out for the year, I do think Bobby makes a lot of sense given his small salary. Just not entirely sure he's a guy Thibs would value.

MKE Out: Bobby, Marjon, POR 2nd
MKE In: Caruso, Grimes

NYK Out: Fournier, Grimes, 2024 lottery protected 1st
NYK In: Bobby, Jevon Carter, Portland 2nd

CHI Out: Caruso, Carter
CHI In: Fournier, Marjon, 2024 lotto protected NYK 1st

[Frank Nova]

Pat Bobby and Marjon for Nic Claxton and Royce O’Neale.

[LuessiT]

I think the idea that we need to take the ball out of Giannis hands for me is dieing a little. Giannis is having a peak offensive year and some may attribute it to the addition of Dame (and they’re not wrong) but Giannis actually struggled early on trying to defer, making Dame comfortable.
Giannis is greatly benefiting from shooting less threes. He’s benefiting from the better spacing. He’s also benefiting from not having to be solely responsible in late shot clock situations as there’s now someone to defer to. All these are positives.

But Giannis doesn’t need anyone to take the ball out of his hands. He needs players around him that clear out for him and force their defenders to stay home. Players that can make open threes, attack close outs and swing a pass. Players that can punish miss matches. Dame fits that description, but he’s also so much more, which if we would fully embrace we would have to take away from Giannis’ game.

Giannis can be very effective without the ball in his hands if he wants to be. If getting Dame going means the ball is in his hands more, you have to do it, IMO.

That seems to be the caveat. We've brought in multiple ball handlers over the years, each better at handling the ball than the last one and everytime the end result has been Giannis handling the ball primarily and having monster numbers. At this point it starts to feel like forcing a square peg into a round hole.

Whether it's Giannis' unwillingness to change or he rightly identified it's best for the team I cannot say but instead of focussing on how Giannis can accomodate Dame, we should focus on how Dame can be Dame without Giannis having to sacrifice. E.g. I feel like a bunch of the Bobby Portis isos should go to Dame. Let him carry the bench e.g.

[raferfenix]

Pat Bobby and Marjon for Nic Claxton and Royce O’Neale.

If Brooklyn really doesn't want to pay Claxton a huge deal then Bobby's locked in contract would be attractive comparably.

Possible to do the deal without Connaughton too -- Bobby, Cam, MarJon and Rolo would work.

[Ron Swanson]

I just don't get this constant obsession with thinking that arguably the greatest 7-foot ball-handler in basketball history is never playing "off-ball" enough. Yes, Dame's usage has decreased from 33.8% last season to 28.2% this year. A 5.6% usage dip seems pretty sensible going to a situation with another superstar. And guess whose usage has taken an even slightly bigger hit?......Giannis (5.7%).

[soxperry]

I just don't get this constant obsession with thinking that arguably the greatest 7-foot ball-handler in basketball history is never playing "off-ball" enough. Yes, Dame's usage has decreased from 33.8% last season to 28.2% this year. A 5.6% usage dip seems pretty sensible going to a situation with another superstar. And guess whose usage has taken an even slightly bigger hit?......Giannis (5.7%).

We get rid of Bobby and there's plenty of usage for everyone.

Also, we keep focusing on Bucks issues but one of the biggest issues we face is just the rest of the league's young athletic talent growing up.

Go back to late last season and the Heat were a joke, Sixers dysfunctional, Boston flawed, Cavs and Knicks nothing more than try hard, feel good stories. Pacers not relevant.

Now, all these teams just feel significantly better. We are better than we were, but not yet by enough to maintain our edge.

[German Athens]

For as much as we talk about the two man game, we could play exactly as we have over the past multiple years and yield better results* just because Dame is taking the shot instead of Jrue. That could be enough to push us over the top.

*this would have to be with a trade to replicate Jrue’s defensive contributions. That’s why I’ve desperately wanted to trade for an elite defensive guard.

The mutually beneficial two-man game raises our ceiling, but even just inserting Dame into the spots Jrue had does too, just not as dramatically.

I think the two man game will improve, because we’ve seen it work with Khris and Giannis, but it’s certainly not looking like a bread and butter play yet.

[Ron Swanson]

I just don't get this constant obsession with thinking that arguably the greatest 7-foot ball-handler in basketball history is never playing "off-ball" enough. Yes, Dame's usage has decreased from 33.8% last season to 28.2% this year. A 5.6% usage dip seems pretty sensible going to a situation with another superstar. And guess whose usage has taken an even slightly bigger hit?......Giannis (5.7%).

We get rid of Bobby and there's plenty of usage for everyone.

Also, we keep focusing on Bucks issues but one of the biggest issues we face is just the rest of the league's young athletic talent growing up.

Go back to late last season and the Heat were a joke, Sixers dysfunctional, Boston flawed, Cavs and Knicks nothing more than try hard, feel good stories. Pacers not relevant.

Now, all these teams just feel significantly better. We are better than we were, but not yet by enough to maintain our edge.

Boston and Philly got older so I'm not sure there's any causality here.

[emunney]

I just don't get this constant obsession with thinking that arguably the greatest 7-foot ball-handler in basketball history is never playing "off-ball" enough. Yes, Dame's usage has decreased from 33.8% last season to 28.2% this year. A 5.6% usage dip seems pretty sensible going to a situation with another superstar. And guess whose usage has taken an even slightly bigger hit?......Giannis (5.7%).

We get rid of Bobby and there's plenty of usage for everyone.

Also, we keep focusing on Bucks issues but one of the biggest issues we face is just the rest of the league's young athletic talent growing up.

Go back to late last season and the Heat were a joke, Sixers dysfunctional, Boston flawed, Cavs and Knicks nothing more than try hard, feel good stories. Pacers not relevant.

Now, all these teams just feel significantly better. We are better than we were, but not yet by enough to maintain our edge.

The Heat were a joke right up until the point where they caught fire and kicked our ass. They came very close to losing in the play-in. Things change quickly. We could win the whole thing or completely flop, what is happening now has no bearing on it.