The Milwaukee Bucks have made significant progress in recent weeks. After initially appearing to be on track for a bottom spot in the Eastern Conference, they have managed to climb out of that position and now hold an 8-9 record for the season.
Pat Connaughton has been a player on the trade market for the Bucks over the past year. He has a player option for the 2025-2026 season, and if he chooses to exercise it, he won’t become a free agent until after that season.
In his latest article, Sports Illustrated writer Rohan Raman proposed a three-team mock trade aimed at improving the Atlanta Hawks. The trade involves the Hawks acquiring Pat Connaughton from the Bucks, as well as Santi Aldama. Meanwhile, the Bucks would receive Marcus Smart from the Grizzlies, and the Grizzlies would land Larry Nance Jr., Bobby Portis, MarJon Beauchamp, a 2025 first-round pick (from Sacramento via Atlanta, top-12 protected), and a 2031 second-round pick (from Milwaukee).
Raman shared his thoughts on why the Bucks might consider this trade, stating that Smart is a strong ball-handler, a solid rebounder, and can provide secondary offense. He also believes Smart would fit well into the Bucks’ defense, which has had its struggles, and his extensive playoff experience would add much-needed depth to a relatively thin Bucks roster.
What’s intriguing about this trade is that Milwaukee would be parting with Pat Connaughton, Bobby Portis, and MarJon Beauchamp in exchange for Marcus Smart. This move would also create more playing time for other players on the Bucks’ roster, potentially reshaping their lineup and depth.
The main reason Raman suggests the Bucks might hesitate to trade for Marcus Smart is his history of injuries and the fact that he hasn’t always looked like the same player when healthy. Additionally, Smart has never been an exceptional three-point shooter during the regular season. While he does improve his shooting in the postseason, increasing from a career 32-33% to 35-37%, there is still risk in adding him to a Bucks team that has been solid from beyond the arc (15th in attempts, 10th in percentage).
The last thing the Bucks need is another injury-prone player, especially with Khris Middleton still sidelined for the season. However, this trade would allow them to part ways with Portis and Connaughton, both of whom have been frequently mentioned in trade rumors.
Brook Lopez is another player who has been frequently mentioned in trade rumors this season. It’s likely that Pat Connaughton and other Bucks players will continue to come up in trade discussions throughout the year, as Milwaukee looks to adjust its roster and improve its chances.
