The Milwaukee Bucks haven't exactly gotten off to a dream start in the aftermath of their seismic decision to fire head coach Adrian Griffin and hire Doc Rivers in his place. With Rivers at the helm, the Bucks have gone 1-4; the absences of Damian Lillard, Brook Lopez, and Khris Middleton haven't helped matters, but to that end, it has become increasingly clear that Milwaukee has a shallow roster behind its core.
The Bucks' defense, in particular, has suffered a steep drop-off following the departure of Jrue Holiday, which makes Milwaukee an “aggressive” party in its search of defensive wing players. But this is not just the area of need they are aiming to address with a few hours to go before the trade deadline. According to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, the Bucks are also searching for another playmaker, with Toronto Raptors guard Dennis Schroder's name popping up in trade talks.
Schroder has lost his starting job after the Raptors acquired Immanuel Quickley in the deal that sent OG Anunoby to the New York Knicks. This could leave the possibility that the Raptors trade away one of the guards on its roster, turning over the position to youngsters Quickley and Kira Lewis Jr., who was recently acquired in a trade with the Utah Jazz.
Cameron Payne's production as the Bucks' lead guard off the bench has left a lot to be desired. He is currently averaging 6.2 points and 2.3 rebounds, and he hasn't exactly gained the trust of his coaches as he's only playing an average of 14.3 minutes a night.
The Bucks made a statement this past offseason that they are not fooling around when it comes to putting together the best possible roster around Giannis Antetokounmpo. They have essentially gone all-in on their pursuit of a championship, and Dennis Schroder, should the Raptors and Bucks agree to a trade, would give them more defensive grit and playmaking.
Schroder's cap hit this season is worth $12.5 million; the Bucks could easily build a package around a combination of Pat Connaughton and Cameron Payne, although they may not have the draft capital to take a trade across the finish line.
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