The Milwaukee Bucks are stuck in between a rock and a hard place entering the NBA’s trade deadline on February 8th.

The team is undergoing a significant transformation, having dismissed head coach Adrian Griffin midway through the season and bringing in Doc Rivers as his replacement. Rivers is working to implement his system swiftly, a challenging task given the team’s limitations, especially on the defensive end.

Additionally, executing a trade at the deadline poses another challenge. With a plethora of buyers this year, market demands are high, and the Bucks find themselves with limited assets — only two available second-round picks — making it challenging to meet the steep asking prices set by potential sellers.

Having delved into potential trade targets for the Bucks, it’s now worth categorizing their roster into tiers based on who might be on the trading block.

Not In A Million Years

Giannis Antetokounmpo

No way, Jose.

Blow Me Away

Damian Lillard

I debated putting him in the first category, but I think there’s a world where Milwaukee would strike a deal if they were blown away. They would never initiate the conversation nor admit to listening, but there has to be a part of them wondering whether they made the right trade for Damian Lillard last summer. There’s plenty of time to right the ship and a long history stating he’ll get back on track offensively, so there’s very little motivation to do so.

(Very) Quietly Listening

Khris Middleton

Brook Lopez

I had these two in the “Blow Me Away” category a year ago, but they’ve dropped a tier this season.

Middleton is having a good season and was impressive during their (very short) postseason run last year. He still has what it takes on the offensive end and is a very nice third option behind Antetokounmpo and Lillard. However, there are a plethora of questions about his mobility and defensive chops at this stage in his career.

Brook Lopez has unfairly received a lot of criticism from fans about his defensive play this season. The Bucks’ paint issues on that end of the court have way more to do with their perimeter defenders than Lopez. However, we can’t deny his lack of athleticism limits Milwaukee’s defensive schemes they can implement. Milwaukee wouldn’t actively shop either of these guys, but they would listen if their names came up in a deal.

Need Convincing

Andre Jackson Jr.

Malik Beasley

The Bucks aren’t going to actively dangle Andre Jackson Jr. or Malik Beasley in a deal, likely preferring to keep them on the roster. However, they won’t shut down a trade just because one of their names comes up. It would be a slight shock to see them involved in a trade before the deadline, but not a complete surprise.

Trade Bait

Bobby Portis

Pat Connaughton

MarJon Beauchamp

Cameron Payne

Given the Bucks’ limited cupboard of draft picks, they hope they can convince a team to take on one or more of the players in this tier.

Bobby Portis and Pat Connaughton were staples of the Bucks’ championship teams, but it may be time to move on. Both players are liabilities on defense—Portis has always struggled on that end, and Connaughton has lost a step this season. Their salaries also match nicely for many of the targets the Bucks set their sights on.

Beauchamp could be a pot-sweetener as a former first-round pick. He’s given fans little to get excited about in Milwaukee besides being young and selected with the 24th overall pick. Maybe another team sees him differently.

Available, But Unwanted

Chris Livingston

Robin Lopez

A.J. Green

Jae Crowder

The Bucks wouldn’t have any issues throwing Livingston, Lopez or Green into a deal if that’s what it takes to get it done. They are buried on the bench for reasons and it will take a lot for them to play any role in Milwaukee in the short or long term.

Jae Crowder may seem like the black sheep of this group, but it took the Phoenix Suns six months to trade him a year ago, and it’s even more apparent now that Father Time is knocking on his doorstep. He’s no longer the premiere wing-stopper he built his reputation around. Milwaukee would prefer to hold on to him, but he’s certainly available.

Hard Sell

Thanasis Antetokounmpo

Thanasis convinced Giannis to sign his extension this time around. What other reason do the Bucks need to keep him?