The Bucks may be interested in signing a high-priced All-Star to play with Antetokounmpo and Lillard. The Milwaukee Bucks, fresh off acquiring Damian Lillard in a blockbuster deal at the start of the season, may be considering another high-profile move this season, this time pursuing Phoenix Suns guard Bradley Beal.
According to Marc Stein, the Bucks have previously indicated interest in Butler, but “have been more frequently painted as a team likely to rekindle their previous interest in Phoenix’s Bradley Beal if they intend to pursue a trade for a player in the $50 million range.”
While the Bucks have previously expressed interest in other players, like as Miami Heat’s Jimmy Butler, Beal represents a unique chance. His contract contains a significant
$50 million may put him at the center of a Bucks deal, but there are big barriers to overcome. Recent sources suggest that the Bucks may reconsider their interest in Beal, especially because Phoenix is still attempting to offload the star guard. A potential Butler trade would require Beal to be engaged as a salary-matching piece.
However, the Heat are reportedly uninterested in Beal’s hefty contract, and the Bucks may potentially step in as a third team, facilitating the transaction while also acquiring Beal.
But the challenges are genuine. Beal’s no-trade provision gives him the last word in any move.
If Beal refuses to renounce it, the Bucks’ chase becomes irrelevant. Furthermore, the Bucks are currently a second-apron team, which limits their ability to combine salaries during deals.
To make the math work, Milwaukee would probably need to cut roughly $6.5 million. A potential trade package involving Khris Middleton, Bobby Portis, and Pat Connaughton may help balance Beal’s $50.2 million payroll, but the Suns and Heat would also need to clear cap space, complicating the move even further.
This might even extend to asking a fourth team, such as the Detroit Pistons, to pay additional salaries.
Even if the trade is theoretically feasible, the issue remains: should the Bucks pursue Beal?
The fit isn’t quite great. While Beal is an excellent scorer, he does not address the Bucks’ defensive deficiencies.
His experience of partnering with another offensive-minded guard, Damian Lillard, signals possible difficulties in a backcourt with Lillard and Giannis Antetokounmpo, particularly given the defensive vulnerability of such a tiny duo.
However, the Bucks’ current roster, which is led by two offensively skilled players in Antetokounmpo and Lillard, may allow Beal’s offensive skill set to blossom. Furthermore, Beal’s demonstrated scoring ability may reduce the strain on Middleton, whose health has been spotty in recent years.
Ultimately, the Bucks’ decision depends on whether they see Beal as an essential addition to their championship window. With the Suns apparently looking to deal him and the Heat in need of a third team, the Bucks may see an opening to strike.
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