The Milwaukee Bucks’ season came to an end on Tuesday night when, without Giannis Antetokounmpo, they fell to the Miami Heat in Game 5 of their best-of-seven first round playoff series.
Shortly thereafter, Sam Presti announced that Billy Donovan would not return to the sideline for the club, and in the press release he issued, Presti mentioned that uncertainty about the team’s future played a role in the decision.
Reading between the lines, it stands to reason that Donovan didn’t want to be the coach of a team that was going to be going through a multiyear rebuild, and that’s consistent with those who believe that Chris Paul’s days with the team could be numbered.
Paul could be the first domino in what could be an eventful offseason in which the Thunder continue to sell off their assets. Dennis Schroder and Steven Adams could also go.
While finding a home for Schroder and Adams shouldn’t be too difficult, finding a home for Paul could be a bit of a challenge. His value is tremendously high, but he’s owed more than $40 million for each of the next two seasons. The acquiring team would also have to feel that he could be the final piece to their championship puzzle.
According to Marc Stein of the New York Times, though, the Bucks could be one potential destination that could make some sense.
With the Bucks losing in the second round of the playoffs and Antetokounmpo’s future uncertain, the team will likely attempt to acquire another star-caliber player to help him deliver a championship to Milwaukee. Paul could make some sense in that regard.
There are rival teams that believe Milwaukee will explore trading for Chris Paul — complicated as that would be financially — if Oklahoma City indeed makes CP3 available via trade. One more thing to track as the Bucks enter perhaps the most crucial offseason in team history …
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) September 9, 2020
As far as what a potential deal could look like, the two sides would likely have to concoct a multi-team deal. It’s likely that Presti would be seeking a combination of short-term contracts and draft capital, and the Bucks don’t seem to have much of that to offer.
Still, with Donovan’s departure now official, the Thunder are likely signaling that a full-blown rebuild is in the cards. Count Milwaukee as the first of many potential destinations for Paul, even if an exact route there is unclear as of this moment.