Blockbuster Trade Proposal Has Bucks Landing Breakout Star From Warriors

Would both sides be open to this deal?

Oct 30, 2024; San Francisco, California, USA; Golden State Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga (00) huddles with guard Brandin Podziemski (2) during the game against New Orleans Pelicans during the fourth quarter at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: David Gonzales-Imagn Images / David Gonzales-Imagn Images

The Milwaukee Bucks have started to more closely resemble the championship-contending status they had hoped to enjoy throughout the 2024-25 regular season, following a patchy 2-8 start. The club is currently 16-12 and rapidly closing in on the 19-12 Orlando Magic — who are missing star forwards Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner for at least multiple weeks with oblique injuries, and now will be without backup center Moritz Wagner for the rest of the season due to an ACL repair — to secure the Eastern Conference's No. 4 seed.

Eight-time All-NBA Bucks power forward Giannis Antetokounmpo is looking ready to earn a third straight MVP, while eight-time All-Star Milwaukee point guard Damian Lillard is improving his two-man game with Antetokounmpo. The Bucks have even looked good without them, having dropped the Chicago Bulls by double digits, 112-91, behind the efforts of sixth man power forward/center Bobby Portis on Monday.

Now, with Milwaukee's regular season stabilizing, it's time for the Bucks to assess if they need additional help in time for what will be, hopefully, another deep playoff run. Milwaukee hasn't gotten out of the first round in either of the last two seasons, despite being a top-3 seed in each instance.

Head coach Doc Rivers seems to have discovered something in a pair of young guards. He's promoted defense-first second-year swingman Andre Jackson Jr. to a starting role in the backcourt next to Lillard, ahead of veteran shooting guard Gary Trent Jr. Rivers has also been playing marksman AJ Green more than champion guard Pat Connaughton thus far.

Donny Shea of The Sporting News proposes an intriguing deal that would ditch some of the club's over-the-hill guard talent in exchange for some younger, higher-upside pieces — both Wisconsinites, incidentally — that address multiple positions of need.

Bucks get: Brandin Podziemski, Kevon Looney

Warriors get: Pat Connaughton, Delon Wright, 2031 first-round pick, 2031 second-round pick swap

As Shea notes, Looney could serve as a nice lob recipient for Lillard et al. The three-time Warriors champ, 28, would help add some defense alongside the offense of longtime reserve big Bobby Portis. A bit undersized at 6-foot-7, Looney remains plenty athletic.

Podziemski could prove to be an upgrade over Ryan Rollins and Wright as a Lillard backup, on a team-friendly rookie-scale salary. He was an All-Rookie First Teamer last year, although he's fallen back to earth thus far this year in Golden State. Wright would represent a defensive upgrade for the Warriors (adding the Bucks draft equity would be the real acqusition for Golden State, though), but the Bucks could take a gamble on Podziemski's upside at a position of strength.

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