Wild Trade Idea Lands Bucks With $251M All-Star

Ricardo Klein | Jan 19, 2025

Dec 3, 2024; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Phoenix Suns guard Bradley Beal (3) and Devin Booker (1) against the San Antonio Spurs in the second half of an NBA Cup game at Footprint Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images / Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

For the past few seasons, the Milwaukee Bucks have been one of the best and most consistent teams in the Eastern Conference. 

That remains the case as we sit halfway through the 2024-25 season. The Bucks are within the top four of the Eastern Conference with a 23-17 record. 

While the Bucks have turned their season around and should remain at the top of the Eastern Conference, a move to bolster their roster is clearly needed.

Since the Bucks are a second-apron team, making trades is a bit more complicated but not impossible. That said, many teams would need to be involved in a potential Bucks trade. 

This latest trade proposal by NBA insider Kevin O'Connor involves the Bucks in a four-team trade that sees them acquire three-time All-Star guard Bradley Beal.  

Bucks Receive: Bradley Beal, 2031 second-round pick (PHX)

Suns Receive: Jimmy Butler

Heat Receive: Khris Middleton, Tim Hardaway Jr., MarJon Beauchamp, 2031 first-round pick (PHX)

Pistons Receive: Bobby Portis, Pat Connaughton, Alec Burks, 2031 first-round pick (MIL)

"So what about the Bucks? They send out a lot of players in this deal, moving on not only from Khris Middleton but Bobby Portis, Pat Connaughton and MarJon Beauchamp; Beauchamp and Connaughton do not factor significantly this year, but Portis is a key rotation player and Middleton has been a multi-time All-Star with this team.

"Add on top of that their first-round pick in 2031, and this is a massive swing for the fences...for a player in Beal who is not playing at an All-Star level and is owed an incredibly large amount of money over the next two seasons. Even if Beal waives his no-trade clause to come to Milwaukee, he likely isn't writing it out of his contract, so the Bucks could easily find themselves in the same position as the Suns in a year.

"The Bucks have to move mountains to make a significant move due to their tax apron contraints, and this is an expensive mountain for a player like Beal. Perhaps a player with higher upside - not Butler, most likely, but someone who could realistically play like a Top-20 player in the playoffs or clearly maximizes the Bucks' stars - would be worth this outlay of their remaining assets." 

This trade sees them lose their longtime veteran forward Khris Middleton, along with MarJon Beauchamp, Bobby Portis, and Pat Connaughton. 

The Bucks have something good going on, but if they choose to make significant changes to their roster, this is certainly one option. 

Although Beal is one heck of a player, he has not played like a $50 million player. The money that will be owed to him will only increase as the years go by. 

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