Bill Simmons Explains Why Bucks Have ‘No Chance’ to Improve by Trade

Ricardo Klein | Nov 11, 2024

Nov 8, 2024; New York, New York, USA; Milwaukee Bucks head coach Doc Rivers coaches against the New York Knicks during the first quarter at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images / Brad Penner-Imagn Images

The Milwaukee Bucks are off to one of the worst starts they've endured in quite a long time. They currently sit with a 2-8 record and have shown no signs of improving outside of their star players, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard. 

This has been a nightmare start for the Bucks, and the only way this team can improve is by trade. On the surface, that seems like the obvious move for Milwaukee, but it's a lot more complicated than that. The Bucks don't have many intriguing pieces on their roster and no draft picks to trade away. 

Because of these hurdles they dug themselves into, NBA podcast and columnist Bill Simmons believes the Bucks cannot improve even with a trade. 

He shared in his latest episode of the "Bill Simmons Podcast." 

“They have an awesome big man, they have an aging offensive star that doesn’t play defense, they have nobody else on the team who could play defense and they have no bench," Simmons said. "Unlike the Lakers, there is no fixes. I keep thinking about Doc [Rivers], who was in such a good spot in L.A. Then Giannis [Antetokounmpo] got dangled right in front of him and jumped at it, and now he’s on this team that I don’t see any conceivable way that this team is a contender. I don’t know what the fix is, but it’s really rough and with no fixes.”

The trade talks of the Bucks making a move were already in the works, but this early-season struggle has enhanced those talks even more. 

However, the Bucks are in no position to make a trade, at least one that would enhance their chances of being a title contender. The Bucks only have one first-round pick available to trade in 2031 and one second-round pick.

In addition, the Bucks are over the second apron, which means they can't take back more salary in a trade or aggregate contracts sent out. It's virtually impossible for them to add significant talent to this roster going forward.

Weirder things have happened in the NBA, so the Bucks would need a miracle to turn their season around and make a trade that will make them a better basketball team. 

A lot of things will need to go right for the Bucks, including a trade that is less than likely to happen. 

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