Although the Milwaukee Bucks are comfortably on top of the Eastern Conference in the lead-up to this year’s playoffs, a recent report suggested that the team could help Giannis Antetokounmpo and Khris Middleton with a third star player by acquiring Washington Wizards shooting guard Bradley Beal via a three-way trade.
As explained on Tuesday by Bleacher Report , the Bucks’ most “realistic” concern at the moment — if they have one — is their supposed lack of a player who could consistently step up when opposing teams focus their defenses on Antetokounmpo. The publication pointed out that Beal had previously played efficiently as a secondary scoring option and has since stepped up as a go-to guy on offense, averaging a career-best 30.5 points per game this season.
With that in mind, the outlet predicted that Beal could be the “knockout punch” the Eastern Conference leader is looking for and recommended a trade that would also involve the Wizards and the Indiana Pacers, with all three teams swapping multiple future draft picks. Aside from Beal moving to Milwaukee, Washington would acquire four players, including big man Myles Turner, and the Pacers would end up with guard Eric Bledsoe.
As further speculated, the hypothetical deal could give Milwaukee a trio of two-way stars, provided Beal “gets back to playing defense again.” The outlet cautioned that the transaction would result in the team losing a lot of depth — given that it recommended moving guard Donte DiVincenzo and forwards Ersan Ilyasova and D.J. Wilson to Washington — but stressed that players such as Brook Lopez and George Hill would still be available to play complementary roles.
The publication added that the other two teams involved in the three-way deal could also benefit in various ways. The Wizards, as explained, would be receiving five “long-term keepers” under 25 years old — Turner, DiVincenzo, Wilson, and one first-rounder each from the other two organizations. As for the Pacers, Bleacher Report suggested that they could have Bledsoe, Malcolm Brogdon, and Victor Oladipo teaming up to form a “scary” defensive backcourt that could also score. It was also noted that the transaction would allow Indiana to free up its frontcourt logjam.
The Bucks are just the latest team to be linked to Beal, who has been the subject of multiple rumors regarding his future as his organization continues to rebuild. As previously reported by The Inquisitr , Beal was recently mentioned as one player that the Denver Nuggets could target in the 2020 offseason, specifically if they are looking for a proven backcourt partner to play alongside youngster Jamal Murray.