As Bucks fans are increasingly aware, Chris Haynes is one of the most plugged-in reporters with Milwaukee, both to their star players (notably Damian Lillard and Giannis Antetokounmpo) and to some extent the front office. On the latest edition of the “#thisleague UNCUT” podcast (aside: what an absolutely awful name for a podcast), Haynes goes on record as saying that the Bucks and GM Jon Horst are currently being “very aggressive in surveying the market.”
The biggest name that they discuss is Dejounte Murray, whom Haynes connected to Milwaukee on Friday. Today, he reiterated that Atlanta wants two at least first-round picks and adds that they also seek a quality player in return for the guard they gave up two firsts and a swap to acquire not even two years ago. While Haynes conceded the Bucks may have a type of player the Hawks seek, he reminds us that the Bucks have no future firsts available to trade. In terms of salary, His co-host Marc Stein believes that even if the Bucks could facilitate some picks heading to the Hawks, the only way the Horst could land Murray would probably mean Bobby Portis in the outgoing package, as Jackson alluded to on Friday.
Haynes also states that the two sides have not exchanged offers, but Milwaukee has reached out and expressed interest to ascertain the likelihood that Atlanta wants to move Murray, and Haynes also thinks they shouldn’t be counted out in the Murray sweepstakes, who Haynes firmly believes will be on the move. But teams like the Lakers will be in on him too, and teams like the Knicks (who we suggested as a Murray fit last week) have even more assets that the Hawks would like.
Along with Murray, Haynes also suggests Alex Caruso, Dorian Finney-Smith, and Matisse Thybulle as targets who could help Milwaukee. Most interestingly, he suggests that each have already been linked to the Bucks. Our Alex Skov discussed Thybulle ten days ago and Caruso has been a target for Bucks fans going back to the season’s infancy, as Jackson talked about him then too. Also of note, Haynes speculates that Bruce Brown would also be a good fit in Milwaukee, and states that he’s a very hot name currently.
We’ll be talking more about Murray and Brown this week, Finney-Smith in a future week, and may revisit Caruso too. For now, though, what do you think of these names? Are you against giving up Bobby Portis for anyone? Feel free to let your thoughts be known in the comments.