Bucks are reportedly “active” and “moving money”

ESPN’s Bobby Marks dropped this bit of news this morning

Day one of the NBA Draft came and went with no movement from the Milwaukee Bucks. They opted not to trade into the first round, despite the Brooklyn Nets holding five selections and the Sacramento Kings trading into the first round at pick No. 24, which belonged to the Oklahoma City Thunder. Yet, that might change after front office insider for ESPN Bobby Marks reported this morning on Get Up that the Bucks are “active and moving money.”

Marks went on to say that this next month is the most important in Bucks’ franchise history:

“For the next month I’m doing everything possible to add around Giannis. The problem if you’re not exploring Giannis deals now and you wait until next year, now he’s going to be on an expiring contract, he’s a year older, (and) the value starts to come down a little bit here. They could wipe the slate clean, I understand where general manager Jon Horst is coming from, when you have a top-three player on your roster, you’re doing everything possible to add pieces.”

As we’ve discussed before, the Bucks have options for revitalizing this team moving forward. They, of course, will have access to the full mid-level exception of $14.1m, which they could use to resign players like Gary Trent Jr. and Kevin Porter Jr., since they don’t have Bird rights on either of those players. They also have a $7.2m trade exception from the Khris Middleton-Kyle Kuzma trade that they could use to add a player making under that amount. Also, they have 2031 first and second picks to trade, and if they wait after tonight to deal, they can trade their 2032 draft picks and even combine 2031 first and 2032 as a first-round pick swap if Horst opts to make a mega deal.

Shams Charania was also on the broadcast and not only reiterated his report from the NBA Draft Combine about Giannis being “open-minded” about potentially looking at other teams, but he believes that Giannis’ future is not tied to what happens this week:

He’s been there for 12 years, so there’s a level of equity there. What can the Bucks do at the draft, what can they do during free agency, how can they improve the team? He said on record he wants to compete for a second NBA championship… so he’s going to remain open minded. I don’t think his future necessarily is tied to this week, to free agnecy week, it’s going to be a process to see how this team looking coming into July, well into July potentially.”

We will continue to monitor what goes on with the Bucks throughout this entire offseason. If you missed our Playback stream last night of the first round, make sure to tune in tonight as Finn and I watch the second round to see who the newest Milwaukee Buck will be.