The Milwaukee Bucks are expected to be heavily-involved when trade talks ramp up on December 15th. The front office is looking to make adjustments for a team preparing for a playoff push.
Franchise cornerstone Giannis Antetokounmpo is arguably playing the best basketball of his illustrious career. Additionally, Khris Middleton is ramping up from a long hiatus due to offseason ankle surgeries.
While the Bucks are looking for complementary pieces to surround Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard, the Detroit Pistons are facing another disappointing season. As a fringe play-in team, the Pistons do not strike fear into any potential playoff or play-in opponents. Detroit is building for the future around Cade Cunningham and could present themselves as a fit as a potential Bucks’ trade partner. Recently, Fadeaway World proposed the following trade idea:
Bucks receive: Simone Fontecchio
Pistons receive: Pat Connaughton, 2031 second-round pick
Connaughton is included for salary-matching purposes only as he has fallen out of coach Doc Rivers’ rotation. Detroit’s front office should consider the second-rounder more valuable than a descending Connaughton. For Milwaukee, this is a swing at a potentially useful player, as Connaughton has proven his ineffectiveness. Fontecchio is only seeing 18 minutes of playing time per game for a 10-win, 16-loss Pistons team, which shows his potential impact should not be heavily relied upon.
The 29-year old veteran adequately spaces the floor with a 34.5 percent conversion rate from deep. A season ago, he shot 40.1 percent from three on over five attempts per game. However, Fontecchio’s skillset is limited sans shooting. He is a liability defensively despite his 6-foot, 8-inch frame and doesn’t provide much creation nor rebounding.
While Fontecchio might not crack Rivers’ rotation, he would give Rivers another depth option who the notoriously stubborn coach could eventually grow to rely on. At this point, it appears Connaughton will not be given much of an opportunity to regain Rivers’ trust. Bucks fans should not have significant expectations if a move of this nature is made.
However, a similar marginal trade would show the fanbase that the front office is putting in serious effort to appease the city’s hunger for another championship.
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