The Milwaukee Bucks have an expiring contract in 31-year-old Pat Connaughton that they’d love to use in a trade before February’s deadline.
Connaughton has been great in Milwaukee through the years (he won a title in 2021), but if the Bucks can turn him into someone younger who’s also a better shooter, they should.
It just so happens that a player of that precise description — former Duke shooting guard Luke Kennard — could be available via trade from the Memphis Grizzlies, per a new report from HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto.
“Sharpshooter Luke Kennard remains one of the league’s top three-point snipers, and his $9.25 million expiring contract is also easy to incorporate into a trade,” Scotto said on Monday.
Memphis wouldn’t be interested in a straight-up swap of Kennard-for-Connaughton, but the Bucks could throw in a pair of second-round picks to sweeten the deal, something they shouldn’t hesitate to do if they are serious about quickly re-building a contender around Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard before either or both leave.
The 28-year-old Kennard would be an obvious upgrade offensively to Connaughton. He’s a career 43.8 percent three-point shooter (Connaughton: 35.6), and he’d be the perfect guy to help space the floor for Giannis and Dame, not to mention cash in on the myriad of open looks that those two would create for him.
Milwaukee should give Memphis a call about Kennard and get a deal done.
The Grizzlies wouldn’t mind adding some more draft capital, and parting ways with Kennard a half-year before he enters free agency would allow Memphis to give more opportunities to rookie shooting guard Cam Spencer this season.
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