OKC Thunder: Ranking the 4 best trade partners in a Chris Paul deal
By Josh Wilson
Chris Paul trade destinations: Milwaukee Bucks
Probably the most logical trade partner, the Milwaukee Bucks have been brought up by respectable reporters around the NBA since the Bucks were eliminated by the Miami Heat.
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Khris Middleton is a noble number two option for the Bucks right now, but Giannis Antetokounmpo needs a superstar. Middleton is an All-Star in his own right, but not a superstar just yet.
Veteran leadership and superstar status in CP3 would be a great addition to the Bucks core, and his stability in the postseason where Eric Bledsoe has fallen so, so short would be much needed.
In the postseason it feels quite a bit like the seams have started to break for Milwaukee the past two seasons. Say what you will about Mike Budenholzer’s coaching — it’s been bad — during the playoffs, but Bledsoe’s annual disappearance as a starting point guard is worrisome for the Bucks. Any slippage from the ancillary components of the Bucks roster allows opposing defenses like the Heat’s to focus more effort and attention to Antetokounmpo.
Imagine a starting unit of Paul, Middleton, and Antentokounmpo. How are you going to guard all three at once?
As far as what the trade looks like, Eric Bledsoe is going to be involved. While the Bucks probably don’t want to trade Brook Lopez or George Hill, it’s hard to see a deal getting done without one of those two to make the money work.
Milwaukee has two second-round picks coming in the future to spare via the Indiana Pacers and also owns their first-round pick this year (but Milwaukee’s own pick at No. 30 is going to Boston).
The Thunder doing a deal with the Bucks would instantly lower them a tier in talent and the draft assets they could get from them are thin. But if you can get Eric Bledsoe and Brook Lopez out of it, hey, that’s not too bad.
This will be tough for these two teams to pull off without some sort of substantial sacrifice on either side.