In addition to targeting an impact player at small forward, the Milwaukee Bucks could look to acquire playmaking boost in the backcourt. That doesn’t mean engineering a disastrous Ja Morant deal, which would be ill-advised for financial reasons, roster fit, and what the Bucks would have to give up to get him. But Milwaukee has also been linked to less expensive guards like Malik Monk and, now, Charlotte’s Collin Sexton, per insider Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints.
Sexton would be an upgrade, but is a deal logistically feasible?
Monk-to-Milwaukee rumors haven’t really picked up steam. Right now, nothing seems likely. Sexton offers a similar skillset but is on an expiring contract, whereas Monk has three years remaining. For the Hornets this season, Sexton is averaging 15.2 points and 4.1 assists in 24 minutes per game. His shooting splits are right where they’ve been for the past three to four seasons: 48.5/39.0/87.1.
Before Milwaukee made other moves in free agency, Sexton was consistently named a potential trade target to fill their needs at the point. Ultimately Sexton did change teams, going from the Utah Jazz to the Hornets in a salary dump maneuver involving center Jusuf Nurkic.
Flash forward to midseason. With the way the Bucks’ Cole Anthony experiment panned out, the veteran scorer would be an immediate upgrade off the bench.
Feb 4, 2024; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Utah Jazz guard Collin Sexton (2) tries to dribble past Milwaukee Bucks guard Damian Lillard (0) during the first quarter at Delta Center. Mandatory Credit: Chris Nicoll-USA TODAY Sports
Making the money work in any actual trade would be more complicated. Sexton makes $18.9 million. The only Bucks players near that range are Kyle Kuzma ($22.4 million) and Bobby Portis ($13.1 million). Neither is a positional match for Sexton, and Kuzma is the roster’s closest thing to a legitimate wing defender.
On top of that, Charlotte may not want to take on either Kuzma’s or Portis’ contracts, which carry through next season and, in Portis’ case, include a player option in year in 2027-28. Both play important roles in Milwaukee, Kuzma with his defense and Portis as a stretch big who can score off the bench. Neither team would benefit from a trade.
Alternatively, the Bucks could assemble several smaller salaries – think Anthony, Amir Coffey, Taurean Prince, and Gary Harris, for example – to meet outgoing salary requirements. There’s no reason the Hornets would want to make that move, or for that matter the Bucks.
More likely, bringing Sexton to Milwaukee would have to be part of a larger, multi-team trade involving substantial salaries changing hands.
For More Great Wisconsin Content
Follow me on X at @ezsniper14 and follow us@WiSportsHeroics for more great content. To read more of our articles and keep up to date on the latest in Wisconsin sports,click here!