Too Many Barriers For Milwaukee Bucks To Trade For Bradley Beal

When Shams Charania first broke the news that the Milwaukee Bucks and Miami Heat were “looming” as potential suitors for an inevitable Bradley Beal trade, I sprinted to my computer, popped it open and began running through scenarios on the trade machine.

I could understand the Heat being in the conversation; they had Tyler Herro and enough first-round picks to make the Washington Wizards think about a trade. But the Bucks? They have next to nothing in assets and only three players who would fit in the deal due to salary-matching purposes.

The trade machine quickly confirmed what I already knew and what would later be proven true: Milwaukee always had too many barriers to overcome in any potential Beal trade.

It made much more sense when Beal was traded to the Phoenix Suns than a potential Bucks’ transaction. In return, Washington acquired Chris Paul, Landry Shamet, second-round picks and multiple pick swaps. The full details are still being worked, out with Paul expected to be waived or moved to a new team.

As low as it was, that was a price the Bucks couldn’t meet.

For starters, the only three players the Bucks could’ve sent away in a deal while acquiring Beal were Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jrue Holiday or Khris Middleton. We know Antetokounmpo is off the table. Middleton also had a player option for $40.4 million and it’s difficult to envision him accepting that, only to be sent to a rebuilding Washington team.

That left Holiday. Holiday has been a defensive stud for the Bucks since his arrival and has led the point of attack for one of the NBA’s best defenses. However, his offense has fallen off a cliff in the postseason on an annual basis. Milwaukee could be looking to shake things up, trying to triple down on their commitment to winning.

But why would Washington want Holiday? He just turned 33-years-old a week ago and doesn’t fit the bill for a rebuilding team. Sure, the Bucks could’ve searched for a third trade partner, but that gets even more complicated.

Furthermore, Milwaukee would’ve had to attach assets in addition to shipping out Holiday. Their only assets are 22-year-old MarJon Beauchamp, the 58th pick in this year’s draft, two other second-rounders, and a 2029 first-round selection. That’s a bare cupboard.

Beal also had a decisive say in where he ended up. He has the NBA’s only no-trade clause, allowing him to dictate who he gets traded to and how much the team gives up. He could theoretically veto a deal that strips his new team of assets and the ability to win. He reportedly picked the Suns over a trade offer from the Bucks and others.

His salary was another significant question mark. He’s entering the second year of a five-year, $251 million contract that sees him get paid $46.7 million in 2023-24. That number escalates in each of the next four seasons until he has a $57.1 million player option in 2026-27. He has the sixth-highest salary for next season.

Milwaukee is already paying Antetokounmpo $45.6 million next year. The new CBA makes it extremely difficult for teams to operate in the second apron, limiting the assets they can use and even the trades they can make in the future. It would’ve more or less locked them into their current iteration of this team (minus any other trades).

It’s great to see Horst continue to explore every avenue to upgrade the Bucks’ roster. He took a gamble in acquiring Holiday, shipping out Eric Bledsoe and a boatload of first-round picks. The move was rewarded with an NBA championship in 2021.

As motivated as general manager Jon Horst apparently was to get a deal done, there proved to be too many barriers to overcome in the end. A lack of assets, having to trade one of your big three, and the new CBA were just some of the challenges to overcome.