With important questions looming this offseason about the future of the team's core, the Milwaukee Bucks wasted no time putting pen to paper once NBA free agency started. Khris Middleton (three years, $102 million), Brook Lopez (two years, $48 million), Jae Crowder (one year, undisclosed), and A.J. Green (multiyear, undisclosed) all signed contracts to stay in Milwaukee.
Meanwhile, Robin Lopez comes over from the Cleveland Cavaliers and Malik Beasley joins from the Los Angeles Lakers. Both signed for Milwaukee on affordable one-year deals for just over $2 million each.
With training camp approaching, the Bucks will be looking to solidify their starting lineup and will continue to tinker with their final roster as they look to construct a championship contender. While much of the focus is on which additions the team will make, of equal importance is which players could end up playing elsewhere. Here are two Bucks players who will be on the trade block ahead of the 2023-24 season.
Grayson Allen
The Bucks prioritized surrounding Giannis Antetokounmpo with shooters over the last few seasons, a strategy that was successful during the regular season but did not always translate to playoff success. The selection of Andre Jackson Jr. in the 2023 NBA Draft could signal a strategic shift for the franchise.
Jackson is an athletic wing who can defend multiple positions but is not much of a floor-spacer. His defensive skill set could be the key to shutting down players like Jimmy Butler and Jayson Tatum who burned the Bucks' past playoff series.
Grayson Allen has been a trade candidate all summer for Milwaukee as the franchise looks to add another backcourt creator and a three-and-D wing. Allen started 70 games for the Bucks last year, averaging 10.4 points per contest while hitting 40 percent of his 3-point attempts.
His defensive rating of 114 was the worst among Milwaukee players who started multiple games in 2022-23. Allen's weakness will be more apparent with the departure of backup point guard Jevon Carter — nicknamed “Bulldog” for his intensity off the ball.
The team already has plenty of role players who are high-volume 3-point shooters in Pat Connaughton, A.J. Green, and newly signed Malik Beasley, so moving on from Allen, the weakest link defensively, would strengthen the backcourt. Grayson Allen could be the odd man out with the team's new philosophy prioritizing athleticism and defensive acumen rather than shooting.
Pat Connaughton
Pat Connaughton has been a solid contributor off the bench during his five seasons in Milwaukee, offering strong defense, solid 3-point shooting and underrated rebounding ability. Yet Connaughton is coming off a disappointing season offensively, hitting just 33.9 percent of his 3-point attempts and shooting under 40 percent overall from the field. He also had the worst defensive campaign of his career, posting a defensive rating of 113.
Still, the Bucks re-signed Connaughton on a three-year deal this offseason worth $9 million per season. Connaughton's trade value is not immense, but Milwaukee can certainly look to add a young backcourt player while giving up Planet Pat and a future draft pick.
As mentioned before, the departure of Jevon Carter leaves a hole in the backup point guard position. With a plethora of wings and shooting guards, a player like Pat Connaughton is easily expendable.
The Bucks were also the oldest team in the NBA in 2022-23, and the team did not get any younger in the offseason. As one of the oldest backcourt players on the Milwaukee bench, the 30-year-old swingman is among the likeliest Bucks trade candidates.
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