The Milwaukee Bucks have gotten off to a blazing hot start in the 2022-23 season, as they won their first nine games, and currently only sit behind the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference standings. After falling to the Celtics in the Eastern Conference semifinals last season, it's looking like the Bucks and Celtics are the two favorites to win it all again this season.
The Bucks hot start is even more impressive when you consider that star forward Giannis Antetokounmpo has already missed three games, and Khris Middleton hasn't even suited up for them this season. For as good as Milwaukee has been, we likely haven't even seen them at their best yet this season.
While the Bucks roster is in a good spot, they aren't perfect, because no team is in the NBA. That means they have room to add some of their current trade targets to their roster, and there are a few players who would be great fits with Milwaukee. With that in mind, let's take a look at the Bucks most realistic trade target through the first month of the season that could be a big aid in their title hopes.
Bucks realistic trade target: Jae Crowder
The Bucks were revealed to be the most likely landing spot for Jae Crowder a few weeks back, so it makes sense that they would be the most likely landing spot for the unhappy Phoenix Suns forward. It may not seem like it, but Crowder could be the missing piece for the Bucks in their quest to make it back to the NBA Finals.
Crowder has been looking for a new contract that the Suns have shown no desire to give him, and have promptly made him available on the trade market. No deal has come yet, but with Crowder currently sitting on the sidelines waiting to be traded, it makes sense to assume that a deal will be finalized sooner rather than later.
Crowder has turned himself into a solid three-and-d forward throughout his career, and helped the Suns make it to the Finals in 2021, where they eventually lost to the Bucks in six games. Crowder ended up losing his starting job to Cameron Johnson, and it's been telling that he still isn't playing for Phoenix despite the fact that Johnson is currently out with a torn meniscus.
Right now, the Bucks run lineups that are either very tall or very small. They don't really have a lot of wing depth, and while Middleton's return will certainly help out there, they can't rely solely on him. Milwaukee needs another wing player or two to solidify their rotation, which is why Crowder is the perfect trade target for them early on this season.
Milwaukee's lack of wings hasn't really hurt them in the early going, which is a credit to the skill of Antetokounmpo and the rest of the squad. Having versatile, switchable defenders such as Giannis and Jrue Holiday certainly helps, and again, Middleton will be key in helping the Bucks defensive scheme improve even more.
The problem is that against top tier teams, the Bucks defense has holes that can be picked apart. We saw the Celtics duo of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown tear apart Milwaukee in the playoffs last season with Middleton out. Middleton could return and be himself this season, but it may not even matter based on how good Tatum and Brown have looked to start this season.
The Celtics are a good example to use highlighting why the Bucks need Crowder because, based on the first month of the season, these two squads seem to be on a collision course in the playoffs one way or another this season. While many squads have had uneven starts to the season, the Bucks and Celtics have been the most consistent sides in the early going, and they both are playing at less than full strength (the C's are currently without Robert Williams III).
Adding Crowder to come in and be the primary defender on the opposing team's top wing scorer could be the difference between winning and losing in the playoffs. In the regular season, Crowder's addition may not be truly necessary, but in the playoffs, his strong defense and steady shooting could make him the perfect option to play alongside Antetokounmpo in the front court.
This would require Middleton to switch over to shooting guard, but it doesn't really matter because the Bucks would have the ability to switch their lineup to accommodate who they are playing. Crowder is almost certainly going to get moved at some point, and based on their current needs, Milwaukee should do what it takes to bring him onboard this season.
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