NBA Rumors: The 5 Players That the Milwaukee Bucks Have in Their Sights

The Milwaukee Bucks are going through a delicate moment. With a record of 12-18, they are three games away from even the Play-In spots, which raises an inevitable question: where is the franchise heading this season? Should they continue trying to compete around Giannis Antetokounmpo, who seems to have one foot in and one foot out, or should they give up and aim for a trade to trigger a rebuild?

According to Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints, in Milwaukee, an immediate departure of the Greek player is not being considered. "All signs continue to point to Giannis staying in Milwaukee, at the very least, until the 2025-26 season," the journalist states. This premise sets the franchise's roadmap: strengthen the team around Antetokounmpo and center Myles Turner to try to be competitive as soon as this season.

With that goal in mind, Siegel identifies five players that the Bucks are closely monitoring in the trade market:

• Jerami Grant, power forward for the Portland Trail Blazers

• Robert Williams III, center for Portland

• Zach LaVine, shooting guard-small forward for the Sacramento Kings

• Andrew Wiggins, small forward for the Miami Heat

• Corey Kispert, guard for the Washington Wizards

Grant emerges as the top priority target. And if Williams is added to the mix, the competitive leap could be significant. "Some believe that the Bucks, who already have a good relationship with Portland since the Damian Lillard trade, have a path to acquire both Grant and Robert Williams III as impactful additions before the trade deadline, improving the team on both ends of the court," Siegel points out.

LaVine, Wiggins, and a Lower-Profile Option

Regarding Zach LaVine, Milwaukee has already assessed his potential fit as a "difference-maker," and, as Siegel confirms, the franchise has conducted a thorough analysis of his situation.

Andrew Wiggins has also been in the Bucks' orbit since last summer. However, it seems that the Miami Heat have no intention of giving up on the season, making a trade seem unlikely.

Corey Kispert, on the other hand, stands a tier below the rest of the names. Still, when healthy, he stands out as a high-volume spot-up three-point shooter with excellent off-ball movement.

Giannis Antetokounmpo remains sidelined with a calf strain, so the real turning point will come with his return, expected at some point in the new year. It will be then when the Bucks' position can truly be assessed and whether these potential moves end up being a firm commitment to compete... or the prelude to even deeper decisions.