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Milwaukee Bucks 2023-24 Trade Tiers: From Untouchable To Available

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Milwaukee Bucks 2023-24 Trade Tiers: From Untouchable To Available


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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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

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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?

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Milwaukee, WI

Landmark Credit Union Live officially opens in Milwaukee

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Landmark Credit Union Live officially opens in Milwaukee


Landmark Credit Union Live, Milwaukee’s newest concert venue, opened its doors on Friday. And with the Bucks playing next door at the same time, the whole area was hopping.

What they’re saying:

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Fans flocked to Fiserv Forum to watch the team play the New York Knicks, and music lovers stood in line to see Rainbow Kitten Surprise on the opening night of Landmark Credit Union Live.

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“Very busy, very crowded the bars and restaurants,” said Ashley Evans. “That’d be great to add to the city again, to continue to bring more tourists out.”

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“This is going to be amazing. I’ve been wanting to see them for a very long time, so I’m very excited,” said Rachel Lococo.

Fans line up for the official opening of Landmark Credit Union Live

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Landmark Credit Union Live can host up to 4,500 people. Friday night’s show was sold out, drawing fans from places like Chicago, Minnesota, Iowa and elsewhere.

“Some people have driven from Indiana, so there’s a lot of people coming out tonight,” said Kade McCane, who came from Madison. “Honestly, really exciting to be among the first people who get to be there, and for RKS to be among the first people who will ever perform here, I hope this venue gets huge and big and becomes very popular.” 

The excitement was felt all around Milwaukee. Even the competition rolled out the welcome mat.

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“Our goal to grow as a city means that a lot of things have to happen. This is the very, tiny, small work that has to happen,” said Gary Witt, president and CEO of The Pabst Theater Group, which runs six nearby venues.

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“The introduction of any new business in the city, especially one that pays attention to the fact that we have spent 24 years growing the live culture economy in the city of Milwaukee, says to me that we’ve done our job.” 

Witt said live entertainment is an industry Milwaukee’s economy has been dependent on coming from visitors like those who turned out Friday.

The Source: FOX6 News interviewed the people in this story and referenced prior coverage related to the opening of Landmark Credit Union Live.

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Milwaukee, WI

Sheriff’s Office backpedals on controversial facial recognition deal

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Sheriff’s Office backpedals on controversial facial recognition deal


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  • The Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Office has decided against a contract for facial recognition technology.
  • Sheriff Denita Ball cited community concerns and the importance of public trust in the decision.
  • The move follows similar pushback that led the Milwaukee Police Department to pause its own pursuit of the technology.
  • Local officials and advocates have raised concerns about racial bias, surveillance, and civil rights violations.

The Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Office will not move forward on a potential deal to use facial recognition technology, Sheriff Denita Ball announced Friday.

In a statement on Feb. 27, Ball said after “thoughtful evaluation” and “meaningful dialogue” with community stakeholders and leaders, she decided to stop pursuing a contract with Biometrica, a Las Vegas-based company whose technology allows authorities to compare photos to a large database of photos for matches. 

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“While we recognize the potential of this software as an investigative tool, we also recognize that trust between the MCSO and the people we serve is important,” she said.

“My discussions with local advocates highlighted valid concerns regarding how such data could be accessed or perceived in the current national climate. This decision is not a retreat from innovation but rather an understanding that timing matters, too,” Ball said.

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported on Feb. 17 that the Sheriff’s Office was on the verge of signing off on the use of facial recognition technology after news broke at a community advisory board meeting held by the office.

The update on the office’s sign-off on an intent to enter into a contract with Biometrica blindsided local officials and advocates because it contradicted earlier claims that the office had not moved forward with a controversial contract.

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At the time, supervisors on the county’s judiciary and legislation committee called for more information from the Sheriff’s Office about the nature of the then-potential contract.

Supervisor Justin Bielinski, who chairs the committee, said Ball’s decision to step away from the deal was good news, but said he was still feeling wary.

“I would like to see more I guess,” he said of the two paragraph statement from Ball. “At what point would she reconsider, right?”

County Executive David Crowley, who is running for governor as a Democrat, had also voiced concerns about a possible contract when news came to light earlier this month.

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After learning of Ball’s decision to not move forward with Biometrica, Crowley thanked community members who voiced concerns about facial recognition technology, saying he will “continue doing everything in my authority to ensure our residents’ First Amendment rights, civil liberties, and personal data are protected.”

In recent months, Milwaukee politicians and residents rebuffed local law enforcement’s efforts to pursue the use of such technology at both the city and county levels, with many citing concerns over racial bias and unjust surveillance of residents.

The Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors voted last summer to recommend the development of a policy framework for the use of facial recognition technology as worries about its use by local law enforcement grew in the community.

The policy emphasized that the use of such technology doesn’t “suppress First Amendment-related activities, violate privacy, or otherwise adversely impact individuals’ civil rights and liberties,” and called for a pause on acquiring new facial recognition technology until regulatory policies were in place to monitor any existing and new surveillance technology.

In early February, the Milwaukee Police Department paused its pursuit of facial recognition technology after almost a year of pushback from activists and some public officials at public meetings. The department also noted that community feedback was a part of its final decision as well as a volatile political climate amid the federal government’s immigration crackdown.

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(This story was updated to add new information.)



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Milwaukee judge calls out marijuana odor in courthouse

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Milwaukee judge calls out marijuana odor in courthouse


A Milwaukee County judge on Thursday, Feb. 26, criticized the smell of marijuana inside the courthouse during a sentencing hearing, calling it inappropriate and illegal as visitors described the odor as common.

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