Milwaukee rebuilt almost its entire roster after a 32-50 season, then opened 1-3 while trade reports kept naming the club. The case for keeping this group intact is stronger than the record suggests, and the answer is to hold.
Last season
The old order ended with a 32-50 finish and the club's first missed postseason since 2016-17. The offense ranked 24th, the defense 26th, and a net rating of minus-6.1 sat 25th of 30. Doc Rivers resigned. Taylor Jenkins, who once sat on Mike Budenholzer's Milwaukee bench, inherited a franchise that needed a new spine, not a patch.
June 23
That spine arrived in one deal. Milwaukee sent Antetokounmpo and Bobby Portis to Miami for Tyler Herro, Jaquez, Ware and Jakucionis, then drafted Brayden Burries 10th and Nate Ament 13th. Myles Turner came over from Indiana with room freed by stretching Damian Lillard's contract. The cost of that path is plain: first-round picks are mostly tied up in swaps through 2030, so no lottery shortcut is waiting.
October 19-24
The case for another move gathered weight. Losses to the Wizards, Bulls and 76ers came by 12, 7 and 11 points. The Bucks cut Kevin Porter Jr. on October 19, and Hoops Rumors reported on October 24 that Milwaukee had turned down a Porter trade with the Nuggets, with no terms given. A separate report put the Bucks among the teams the Warriors contacted about Porzingis. Jake Fischer had already listed Milwaukee among clubs exploring trades.
October 26
The case for patience showed up against the old Pacers rival. Down 11, Milwaukee won 110-102. Herro finished with 23, plus 10 boards and 7 assists, and he blocked a late Indiana 3. Ryan Rollins scored 19. Ament was plus-12 in 14 minutes, and Turner was plus-14 against his former club. At 1-3, the Bucks sit 12th, a half game out of 10th.
This week
The answer is to keep it together. Payroll is $191.4M, only $9.0M under the $200.4M tax line, so there is little room to take on salary, and the picks that might sweeten a deal are already committed. The league's inquiry into the Gary Trent Jr. trade, reported September 23, adds another reason to stay still. Herro, Ware, Jakucionis, Burries and Ament are the return for a franchise icon. Jenkins should get the season to learn what they are.
Are the Bucks trading for Porzingis?
Nothing is done. A report said the Warriors contacted the Bucks and other teams about Porzingis on October 21, and no further detail has followed.
What did the Bucks get for Giannis Antetokounmpo?
On June 23 Milwaukee sent Antetokounmpo and Bobby Portis to Miami for Tyler Herro, Jaquez, Ware and Jakucionis.
