The Milwaukee Bucks and Indiana Pacers have discussed a trade centered on Pacers guard Victor Oladipo, according to Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer.
Bucks GM Jon Horst is trying to reshape the roster as back-to-back NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo enters the final year of his contract. The Bucks are expected to offer Antetokounmpo a supermax extension, but he may wait to decide on after seeing how the 2020-21 season plays out.
Oladipo is also set to enter free agency next summer. Despite his denials, rumors have persisted that he’s looking to move on from the Pacers.
Oladipo never seemed quite right offensively at any point in 2019-20, after missing most of the previous season after an injury to his quad. But he was as good as ever defensively.
“Any Bucks offer for Oladipo would probably have to start with point guard Eric Bledsoe for salary-matching purposes and would likely see the Pacers’ 2020 first-round pick returned to Indiana,” Luke Adams of Hoops Rumors wrote. “I imagine the Pacers would seek another future first-round pick or other additional assets for Oladipo, while the Bucks may be reluctant to go all-in on a player who didn’t look fully healthy in 2019-20.”
Pacers president Kevin Pritchard recently addressed the Oladipo speculation.
“Victor and I have a good dialogue,” Pritchard told reporters. “I’m hopeful that we can create an environment that he feels good about, that he feels like he can win.
“He’s been pretty consistent in saying the most important for him is that he can win. I believe we can have a team that can do some good things in the playoffs.”
