The Bucks have conducted “background due diligence” on Kings guard Zach LaVine, among other potential trade targets, sources tell Michael Scotto of HoopsHype.
Even after winning their past two games, the Kings are just 5-13 so far this season, so the expectation is that they’ll seriously consider the possibility of moving some of their veterans – most notably LaVine and DeMar DeRozan, but possibly Domantas Sabonis too – before February’s trade deadline.
The Bucks, meanwhile, are well positioned to take on some salary in a trade after dipping below the cap over the summer to sign Myles Turner. They’re currently operating about $11.5MM below the luxury tax line after having been a taxpayer for several years in a row.
Still, Scotto’s wording suggests LaVine is one of many possible trade targets the Bucks have considered, rather than a player they’re specifically targeting. LaVine’s $47.5MM salary would make it difficult for Milwaukee to accommodate him, given the team’s relative lack of expendable mid-sized contracts.
Kyle Kuzma ($22.4MM) is the Bucks’ most obvious trade chip in any deal for an impact player, and Scotto notes that the veteran forward has been a Kings target in the past, though it’s unclear if Sacramento’s new front office is as fond of him as Monte McNair‘s group was. Kuzma and Kings owner Vivek Ranadive are also both among the investors in Major League Volleyball, a new women’s professional sports venture, Scotto notes.
The Bucks would almost certainly have to give up at least two additional players along with Kuzma, including one more valuable role player – likely Bobby Portis ($13.4MM) – in order to match LaVine’s salary. That may not appeal to Milwaukee’s front office, which could end up focusing on trade targets who have slightly more manageable cap hits.
According to Scotto, the Bucks also monitored Boston guard Anfernee Simons during the offseason, as the Celtics and the Nets discussed multiple trade scenarios involving Simons that ultimately didn’t gain serious traction. Simons’ $27.7MM cap hit is a little more team-friendly, and he’s on an expiring contract, whereas LaVine holds a $49MM player option for next season, though Simons’ career scoring and shooting numbers have lagged behind LaVine’s.
So far this season, LaVine is averaging 20.5 points per game with a .498/.386/.893 shooting line through 16 starts (33.5 MPG), while Simons is scoring 14.4 PPG on .448/.411/.862 shooting in 17 outings off the bench (24.9 MPG). Neither player is considered a strong defender.
As Scotto reports, while the Celtics are prepared to pay a luxury tax bill this season if necessary, they wouldn’t mind trying to get out of tax territory if the right deal emerges. Given that Boston is still over the tax line by about $12MM, a deal involving Simons could be the most logical path to ducking the tax, but the club hasn’t shown any willingness to attach a first-round pick to move off of him, league sources tell HoopsHype.
Simon’s would be a great fit for the Bucks. Kuzma as a celtics does not work for me.
Hubie Brown does know best but I think Kuzma is a good fit. Tatum is a SF and Brown to SG
So they are thinking about tanking by adding LaVine?
Kuzma for LaVine definitely improves the team.
Does it??? They have Kevin Porter Jr, AJ Green, and Gary Trent. They need an actual SF.
Porter: 10.0
Green: 10.7
Trent: 10.2
LaVine: 20.5
Seems like one guy is doubly better than the others.
Draymond is at 8.1 so maybe you should consider trading for LaVine too?
Draymond isn’t a SG? Notice how I posted all the Bucks SGs mentioned, and you came in here with the whataboutism? At least be consistent. Horrible reply. Shame on whoever upvoted it. You all don’t know ball.
You gonna take Bobby Portis > Draymond?
Points Per Game hasn’t been a valued metric since the 1990s.
Draymond plays in a harder conference, his team has a harder schedule, he plays more minutes per game and has won 4 rings as a main piece/closing lineup/starter.
You one of these “Draymond is actually a G- leaguer in disguise and I can lie about his lifetime stats and awards even though the rest of us can easily prove me wrong?” types, huh? No value in your opinions when you hate on Draymond, you know that, right?
You’re the one who hates Draymond since you think PPG is an effective measurement of players. You said it yourself when you said Zach LaVine was twice the player AJ Green is.
The vast majority of NBA teams would rather have Green, since he actually tries on defense and doesn’t need the ball, rather than an empty stats laughing stock useless player (which might explain the affinity you hold for him).
Green and Trent are not good enough at SG. Both backups really
They also combine to make about 40M less than than Zach LaVine.
Which is why Kuzma is in the deal, as stated in the article. Which you apparently aren’t even reading and are just openly lying about every single thing ever today.
Take some meds, have a break lil bro
They have to background research on a player they traded two seasons ago?
Bucks not Bulls.
Lavine never played for Bucks.
Lmao I read kings for some reason
Since the warriors did want Portis this off season and was tunred dow by the Bucks fior kuminga a 3 way trade is possible where Kings get Kuminga warriors get Portis.
How does that make the Kings better? At this point you are just swapping players and hope it fits lol.
Kings are going to be better and they’re not going to be rewarded with the top pick because they are a terrible franchise that waste draft picks and doesn’t know how to develop players. They think they’re the Los Angeles Lakers that they can just sign free agents and put a team together like it’s NBA 2K. At this point they should trade what’s a bonus and get whatever they can and continue to let Westbrook Levine and DeMar DeRozan lose games for them. Why they’re competitive during the season to sell tickets. They’ll probably get a top five pic and they need to hit in the draft and then try to hit in the next drive. But nobody’s taking on Zach LaVine. I don’t even know why these sites keep posting stories acting like somebody would take him.
The Kings did want Kuminga over the summer. So, I guess they felt it would make them better
A lot has transpired between the summer and now. They need defensive minded cheap players, but this team has noone to blame but themselves.
Kuminga with a fresh start in a offense that wants to build around him could be a good pick up for the Kings. Kuminga has shown flashes of good defense but warriors play a high IQ switch defense that many players can’t pick up.
Murray and Kuminga play the same position. Makes no sense. Unfortunately a lot of moves Kings make. Make no sense.
Well Al you will get your wish come true once Kuminga is deal is tradeable. Where he goes who knows but some team will give him a chance to shine.
Given that the Kings have been running DeMar DeRozan as a PF for some of these games, yes, it makes the team better.
They don’t need LaVine. They just needed to not lose Fox for nothing. Monk and Ellis were fine as the SGs last year. He’s just matching salary they are hoping to turn into something down the line.
They run Drosen at the 4 because he can’t guard 3 or 2’s. He is a bench player at this point in his career.
@arc89
I don’t know how much film y’all need on kamanga to understand he is a 4th option. If he build a team around him he will avg 5 more points and be negative 15 on the court. He doesn’t have the handles to be a primary score and I good at at alot of things with no elite skill besides his athleticism.
@Buying Buckets
YOU clearly aren’t watching any tape aside from this season. Go back to when we had good Kuminga at any of the past seasons. He clearly has been playing through a serious knee injury and that has impacted his usually-ok to great defense. We have seen JK play elite defense in NBA games before. You have not. Because you have only watched this season, when he has been injured the whole time. This claim you are making comes from your own skill issue.
Not going to argue I could breakdown his tape if you would like. Actually I have already done that on multiple posts this summer, go back a read them. He is not elite defender. Elite defender is all NBA level defender. He is a capable defender. That is hardly worth building your team around. He is a 4th/5th option. When he finds a role he will Excel. If you can’t domanite with Curry next to you commanding that much attention, it’s not going to get better getting you’re own team. Especially the worst ran sports franchise in America sports the KINGS
Not sure where elite defender and Kuminga goes together. He can be a good defender but in warriors system which is a lot of switching going on he is exposed. I noticed teams use the switching to expose the bad defenders in teh warriors lineup. Watch how Heild to mnay times end up on teh fastest player and blows by Heild.
Exactly, Buddy for Brook Lopez alone would totally balance this roster.
“He is not elite defender. Elite defender is all NBA level defender. He is a capable defender. That is hardly worth building your team around.”
Capable defense with good-to-great offense = you defintely do build this team around him. He has the quickest first step in the league. You are lying about how much you have seen of him. One can play elite defense in one game and terrible in another. Your metrics are entirely made up by you. He is 23 and underdeveloped on purpose by Kerr. Also you are acting like he hasn’t had injuries. You are wrong. Stay there.
I don’t even know if I should respond to this
Factually Kuminga is no potential all star ! He’s a solid role player if he reaches his realistic potential
You know what’s clear.
Is that Warrior fans have no clue who Kuminga is. He sucks when he doesn’t help them. He’s good when they are not offered value for him. He’s good when he plays well. And he sucks when he plays bad. Yet none of them will blame Warriors for drafting him. Or not developing him. Its all Kumingas fault for not getting better ……… for three years they have cried and cried this. Yet can’t trade him unless they get Giannis back ……….
I blame Lacob for drafting Kuminga. The scouting department wanted Frank Wagner who would have been 100% a better pick but the owner over ruled because he wanted Kuminga on the team. Kerr’s system doesn’t fit Kuminga. He is reminding me of Oubre.
Kuminga is to blame for himself. He hasn’t developed at all and I’m tired of every player blaming teams for why they haven’t developed. The bottom line is he doesn’t have a handle or the scoring ability to score off the dribble. And his jumpshot is shaky sometimes coming in and out. I don’t understand what missing wide open jumpshots have to do with the warriors not developing him with their ball movement and when he has the ball he is inconsistent because he doesn’t have a go-to move. His rebounding is so so and I don’t want to hear about rebounding numbers because that doesn’t tell the whole tape. His defense is Hit or Miss and his ability to play without the ball. He feels like he’s too good to do. So I’m trying to understand where is the warriors at fault for his development. You have to put the work in in the off-season and he’s had plenty enough minutes and playoff minutes with Curry out with Butler out with green out and those games. He’s usually a negative on the court.
I said all that to say he’s still a pretty decent player. He’s just good at a whole bunch of things and not great at any one particular thing except for his athleticis up. Therefore, as I’ve posted multiple times, he’s a fourth or a fifth option.
@arc89
You’re 100% correct about Wagner however, I’m not going to blame the warriors because most teams Miss sometimes and they thought he was was a better fit. It’s why I often say you don’t draft on fit and you draft on skill who’s the best skill. If you have a really good point guard and the point guard is the best player available. You take the point guard. You can trade one of the guards to help your team later on down the line but to draft somebody because you feel they’re a better fit when we’re talking, high lottery is not the way you should do. Now when you are drafting mid to late lottery or second round and you feel like you can develop a player into a role. Usually they’re not Stars you can draft for fit. Wagner is 10x better than Kumenga will ever be it’s not close. If people actually watch Orlando play this year Wagner’s almost in my opinion, just as good as Palo But that’s for another discussion
getting rid of payroll makes them better. They can then start signing players that make sense to the team. getting rid of the most over paid player on the team so they can go younger.
They wanted Portis before they got Horford. What does Portis bring that Post does not? Warriors need to get Zubac and stop messing around.
“What does Portis bring that Post does not?”
A Post game, ironically enough.
“Warriors need to get Zubac and stop messing around.”
Yeah I just don’t understand why the Clippers aren’t returning their calls on offers of Buddy Hield and Trayce Jackson-Davis. They should be desperate to sell low on their cost controlled All-Defensive center.
A big man off the bench that can rebound and set screens. Warriors need bigger players to rebound. You been saying they need to get bigger.
Portis is avg 5.8 reb a game, Post is avg 9.1. Post is better than Portis by every metric. Portis is washed as hell. Such a terrible target for GSW. I agree they need bigs but Portis ain’t it.
Also, Kuminga is avg 6.6 reb a game, more than Portis. lmao Bobby stinks. GSW can get wayyy more than that for Kuminga. Warriors fans underrate Kuminga because they get conditioned to be on Kerr and management’s side, when on a whole bunch of other teams, the fans always universally hate their management and coach, even if they win the title, the Celtics are a great example of this, teams that fire their coach 1-2 years after winning the title are another…Dub Nation got brain worms and that worm is called….you know the rest…
It’s clear Kuminga is playing defense this bad on purpose, he is putting in zero effort, likely due to his injury prohibiting him from defending, so the faster we can move on from him right now, the better. Kuminga in still only 23, he will have some elite years in this league when healthy, but this likely will not be one of those. Still has a sky high ceiling though, that has plenty of trade value on anyone wanting to move on from a higher paid guy.
I think you don’t see how Portis is a good 6th man off the bench and can help Green play less minutes. Warriors window is 2 years and then a rebuild. I do not have confidents in Kuminga who you build around.
Warriors window has been closed.
Bobby Portis sharing the floor with Giannis diminishes his rebound number.
Bobby Portis has definitely shown some age and decline this year after many years of consistent contributions, and he would still immensely help the warriors, they are not a threat as currently constructed, and only treading water near .500 because of their unsustainable record at home.
They are old and Horford has been a zero. It’s ugly. All the reasons that keep getting spouted off here about why Giannis should want to leave Milwaukee are just projections on why Steph should want out of Golden State.
Neither Curry or Giannis is going anywhere. Only way warriors can make it to teh finals is 100% healthy and some luck. They need to bulk up in a trade or 2 to contend against the younger more active teams. The door is very close to being shut so its now or rebuild.
When eligible: Zubac, Lopez and Dunn for Kuminga, Buddy and 3 FRP
warriors need those 3 FRP since rebuild is near.
Curry is still in his prime, Zubac is 28, the window would open another 10 years Im not even joking. Steph will never retire early.
You are smoking crack if you think Lacob will ever rebuild.
Moody, Richard, Podz, Kuminga, TJD, Post…they have too many youngsters to rebuild, the rebuild is already done – its just replacing Dray and Jimmy and possibly JK. Zubac is perfect.
Curry is not in his prime. Age catches up to everyone. I would not put TJD as a player to call good. He and Santos look like back of bench players. I have questions on Moody, Kuminga, and Podz. Post looks like a good floor stretch center but not a top 15 center in the NBA. Zubac is a good center but not a top 5 in the NBA.
Warriors need their future 1st round picks and shouldn’t be traded at any cost unless it makes them a finals contender.
We disagree on every single thing you wrote. Oh well, go Dubs!
Nothing wrong with disagreeing. I am just glad they have draft picks again to get younger. I believe in MDJ alot more than BM when drafting as long as Lacob stays out of who to draft.
Making up stuff again. Post is avg 3.9 rebounds a gm. The Warriors are 22nd in NBA with 42.6 rebounds a gm this year.
Not making stuff up again, but I was looking at a different stat, my mistake! I own it. Post only is averaging 3.9 TRB a game. I was looking at per 36 minutes, which Post averages 9.1 TRB. He never plays 36 minutes, but what if he did? GSW probably wouldnt have this big rebounding problem? Maybe stop playing 4 undersized guards at once and Post’s numbers might improve?
So in other words, you admit Portis is better than Post, since Portis averages 9.6 Reb/36.
He doesn’t play 36 minutes, but what if he did!?
The Bucks need a good PG and backup PG. Porter Jr and Rollins are trash humans
One was arrested for stealing dog toys, body wash and scented candles from a Target while one was arrested for beating up his girlfriend. There’s a huge difference. I’m not willing to call a guy that potentially has kleptomania a trash human.
I understand Chuck. The thing is Rollins was never punished or anything by the NBA, just awarded for good behavior. He deserves to be out of the NBA for a year. So it’s okay to steal from places? Players in the past lost their careers for stealing
Sometimes you got to learn to forgive for something someone does when they are young. Rollins was 201and caught for petty theft. He has done nothing wrong since that time. There is a lot worse things NBA players have done just this year.
I agree but he deserves some kind of punishment. All he got was oh okay but don’t do it again, waived by a team and picked up by another. People need to be held accountable or everything falls apart like it is right now
Sorry to say this Luke but there is no accountability today. We have politicians making millions off of the stock market, no ethics in DC, no ethics in big corporations, and ect.. Even the media is afraid to call anyone out anymore. I read some comments by Musk this week that are just crazy but not one media site calls him out for having no common sense.
Rollins plead guilty to a single misdemeanor.
“His 30-day sentence was suspended and will be expunged once his unsupervised probation over six months is complete. He also paid court-ordered restitution on Feb. 1, along with a small fine associated with the case on Feb. 13, 2024,” the report added.”
Please learn the difference between a Misdemeanor and a Felony. Maybe move to Singapore if that’s more your vibe.
Every single person posting here is a trash human.
That goes double for anyone pointing the finger at someone else.
I have never broken the law IRL or been put in cuffs or done anything anyone told me was wrong or bad. Explain how I am trash? Your only answer can be here “you make comments online”. Okay if that’s your metric then carry on lol
If you (or anyone else) needs to ask, some self-reflection is in order.
I have self-reflected plenty, I asked you a direct question and you gave me a soft as butter reply. Hold your L bro, move on.
I think it’s time for 2k to do some self reflection and find the Real 2k
Okay Real 2k, why are you trash or what do you regret in life?
So I guess you make up the rules in life
So it’s double for me because I said Rollins is trash. Wow look out everyone don’t say anything about anyone
I think we should have expanded free speech rights of non-millionaires on millionaires. Don’t want to have people say harsh things about you? Don’t be a millionaire then! Give away your money to the USA citizens who live below the poverty line then. You know, your own kids? What a tragic end for capitalism!!
Trading away Middleton and Jrue Holiday for crap and then signing two criminals who got slaps on the wrists, yeah fire someone
This is exactly the reasoning why I think Giannis will ask out. Absolute negligence by the front office. This roster will never do anything. How they gunna say with a straight face their “Big 3” are Giannis, Myles Turner and Kyle Kuzma? lmao cmon. They HATE Giannis, bro. Only someone who wanted Giannis to request a trade out of there would do this kind of roster construction.
Luke, maybe you should send Horst an article about salary matching.
They’d have to trade Kuzma, Portis, KPJ, Rollins, and Gary Trent or someone else making 3M.
Wouldn’t have to send out quite that much. $37,799,728 in outgoing salary would be the threshold to take back LaVine. So that could be Kuzma, Portis, and a minimum-salary player.
If they didn’t want to include Portis (or Turner), it would have to be Kuzma + at least four other players.
Trade Kuzma, Portis, Rollins, Porter Jr, Trent, Garry Harris, Sims and ALL their picks in a 3 team trade
Bucks get: Middleton, Jrue Holiday and Bagley, Champagne, and Cooper’s two way contract. Bucks waive Nance and sign Kotas A….
Portland gets: McCollum, Gill and picks. Portland signs Tyler Smith
Washington gets: Kuzma, Trent, Sims, Harris, Wesley and picks. Washington waives Branham, Harris and Wesley again. Sign Tyler Smith
Milwaukee needs to do this
Bucks keep Sims*
You are just putting a bunch of players back on their old teams lol
It would save Milwaukee and maybe a championship. Portland would like it too. Washington gets a 1st. Kuzma will suffer some in Washington though
Bucks get: Middleton, Jrue Holiday, Bagley, Champagne, and Cooper’s two way contract. Bucks waive Nance and sign Kotas A
Portland gets: McCollum, Gill and picks (2nds). Portland signs Tyler Smith
Washington gets: Kuzma, Trent, Harris, Wesley and picks(1sts). Washington waives Branham, Harris and Wesley again.
Washington signs Tyler Smith, Seth Curry and Taj Gibson or James Johnson
Portis + 2nd pick = Simons
3rd team recieves money, picks and salary dump
Kuzma, cash and two 2nd for Simons and Baylor Scheiermann
Offer Hugo Gonzalez to someone for a butt load of cash. It’s to bad you couldn’t get under the tax lines doing that. Brooklyn should do it
Boston gets: PJ Washington and tax relief under the tax line. Promote Harper
Brooklyn gets: Simons, picks
Dallas gets: Highsmith, Hugo Gonzalez and picks
Exum is waived at first
Offer Kuzma, Portis, Ryan Rollins, Kevin Porter Jr, Gary Harris, cash along with every single possible pick Milwaukee owns to the Kings for Sabonis, Dennis Schroeder and Keon Ellis (while the coach hates him)
Then waive Nance and sign Kotas A
Bucks can’t get LaVine unless he gets bought out.
How are Bucks going to match his 47 mill contract.
Bucks do not have control of their #1 picks till 2031. They don’t have a pick in 2029. So I just don’t see why Giannis would stay. He is hurting the team by staying. Best way for Giannis to help the Bucks. Is to agree to a trade this year. So Bucks can get maximum value and move on.
This is why my “GSW has up to 6 FRPs or swaps plus Kuminga and Draymond for Giannis” idea works really well for both sides. Doesn’t gut GSW, who keep Richard, Podz, Moody and Post.