Milwaukee City Wire

The defending champions of the National Basketball Association are still pretty good, but always looking to get better.

With the 2022 NBA trade deadline on Feb. 10, the Milwaukee Bucks have given little indication whether they plan to make any moves to strengthen their team.

“We’re very fortunate,” head coach Mike Budenholzer said during a virtual interview with reporters. “We’ve got a good team. We’ve got a good roster. We’ve got guys that we all believe in. So I think for us, we’re excited about the group. Players, coaches, all of us know that we’re always trying to get better. That’s our job.” 

The Bucks defeated the Knicks 123-108 to improve to 31-20 on the season. That would be good for the No. 4 seed in the Eastern Conference. With the Miami Heat, Chicago Bulls, Cleveland Cavaliers and Brooklyn Nets all looking to unseat the Conference and NBA Champions, the Bucks might need to upgrade their roster even if it’s just to strengthen the bench or fill a need.

Bleacher Report speculated on three players the Bucks might target before the trade deadline: New York Knicks forward Nerlens Noel; San Antonio Spurs forward Doug McDermott and Phoenix Suns forward Jalen Smith. Noel and his 6-foot-11-inch frame would be welcomed by the Bucks who have been without center Brook Lopez, who has missed all but one game this season because of a bad back. Lopez underwent a medical procedure in December and his availability for the playoffs remains uncertain. Noel’s salary could be an issue as he is making $8 million this year.

McDermott, meanwhile, would provide the kind of consistent outside shooting that would open the floor for MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo. McDermott has made 40.8% on 3.3 attempts from three-point range with the Spurs. Money again might be an issue in acquiring McDermott. He is in the first year of a three-year deal worth $41.3 million.

Smith could be a sneaky pick, according to Bleacher Report. He hasn’t played much for the Suns, but at 6-10 has the kind of size the Bucks covet. He’s currently making $4.6 million and will be a low-cost free agent at the end of the current season.