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Bucks’ top trade, free agent targets after trading Giannis, drafting Brayden Burries, Nate Ament
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- Bucks’ top trade, free agent targets after trading Giannis, drafting Brayden Burries, Nate Ament
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The Milwaukee Bucks are entering a dramatically different era. Once Giannis Antetokounmpo was moved, the franchise's priorities changed overnight. This is no longer about building a contender around one of the league's best players. It is about staying competitive, developing young talent, and finding smart ways to reshape the roster without locking into long-term mistakes.
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Drafting Brayden Burries and Nate Ament was a strong start. Both prospects give Milwaukee athleticism, upside, and much-needed youth on the wing. But if the Bucks want to remain respectable while giving those young players a stable environment, they still need proven help at small forward. That is why Cameron Johnson stands out as Milwaukee's top trade target, while Kelly Oubre Jr . makes plenty of sense as the team's best free agent fallback.
Cameron Johnson is the cleanest trade fit
Bruce Kluckhohn-Imagn Images
Johnson would be an excellent fit with the Bucks because he checks nearly every box this roster now needs. Milwaukee has decent depth at guard and center, but the wing rotation remains thin, especially after such a seismic franchise-altering move. Jaime Jaquez Jr.
and Nate Ament can both absorb minutes at the three, but there will be stretches when each is better utilized at power forward. In today's NBA, teams simply cannot have too much capable wing depth.
Johnson gives Milwaukee that immediately.
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He is a proven shooter, a functional team defender, and a player who can scale his role depending on the lineup around him. Last season in Denver , he averaged 12.2 points and 3.8 rebounds while shooting 43% from three-point range. That kind of efficiency would be hugely valuable for a Bucks team that suddenly needs to create cleaner offensive spacing for younger players and secondary creators.
The biggest reason Johnson makes sense, though, is the financial structure. With just one year and $23 million left on his contract, this would be a short-term move without major long-term consequences. That matters for Milwaukee. The Bucks need flexibility as they figure out which players are part of the next core and which are simply transitional pieces.
If Denver is truly motivated to move Johnson in order to create more room for other priorities, Milwaukee should be aggressive. If the Nuggets were even willing to attach draft capital to offload him, that would make the deal even more appealing. For a team entering a reset, taking on a useful veteran on an expiring contract while potentially adding future assets is exactly the kind of opportunistic move front offices should pursue.
Why the Bucks still shouldn't tank
There is a temptation after trading a superstar to bottom out completely. Milwaukee should resist that idea.
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Without its own draft pick next season, there is little incentive to chase losses. More importantly, Burries and Ament would benefit more from playing in a competitive environment than from being dropped into a losing culture. The Bucks do not need to be a contender this year, but they do need to be functional. They need lineups that make sense, veterans who know how to play, and enough competence on the wing to stay organized on both ends.
Johnson helps with all of that. He can start at small forward, move off the ball, and give Milwaukee a stabilizing presence between its younger perimeter players and its veteran frontcourt pieces. He is the kind of player who raises the floor of a roster even if he is not a featured star.
Kelly Oubre Jr. is the top free agent alternative
If Milwaukee cannot land Johnson in a trade, Kelly Oubre Jr. should become the top free agent target.
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Oubre is not the same level of floor spacer as Johnson, but he offers a different kind of value. He brings athleticism, length, transition scoring, and defensive activity on the wing. For a Bucks team that may need more juice and shot creation from its forward group, Oubre would add instant energy. He can play either wing spot, defend multiple matchups, and create offense in moments when young players hit inevitable rough patches.
There would be more volatility with Oubre than with Johnson. His shot selection can run hot and cold, and he is not as seamless a plug-and-play fit. But in free agency, Milwaukee is unlikely to find many wings with his combination of size, experience, and scoring punch at a reasonable number.
Ultimately, Johnson should be the priority because he fits the roster, the timeline, and the financial reality best. Oubre is a solid Plan B, but Johnson is the move that most cleanly addresses Milwaukee's biggest need without compromising future flexibility.
For a Bucks team trying to turn the page after Giannis, that balance should matter more than anything.
Related: How Jaylen Brown, Ja Morant can achieve new goals in 4-team deal with Bucks, Pelicans
Related: Watch Brayden Burries, Nate Ament throw out 1st pitch at Brewers-Cubs game
