The Milwaukee Bucks came out of the Giannis Antetokounmpo trade with two lottery picks, a collection of young players and a mountain of future draft capital.
What they still do not have is a clear centerpiece for the next era.
Jalen Duren could change that.
The Athletic reported that Milwaukee is among the teams with serious interest in the Detroit Pistons’ 22-year-old All-NBA center as his contract standoff pushes toward an Oct. 1 decision on his $9.6 million qualifying offer. Detroit has increased its offer to five years and $200 million fully guaranteed, but Duren remains unsigned, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania.
If he takes the qualifying offer, Duren can become an unrestricted free agent next summer — when Sacramento also could make a major run at him. The Kings are considered a legitimate threat and are among the teams projected to have enough cap room to pursue him.
Milwaukee could avoid that bidding war entirely by acting now.
Bucks Could Build Around Duren, Burries and Ament
One hypothetical three-team sign-and-trade would send Duren to Milwaukee while Tyler Herro and Kel’el Ware go to Detroit.
The trade framework:
Milwaukee Bucks receive: Jalen Duren in a sign-and-trade and Detroit’s 2031 first-round pick, top-10 protected
Detroit Pistons receive: Tyler Herro and Kel’el Ware
Brooklyn Nets receive: Kevin Huerter, Tolu Smith and Dallas’ 2031 second-round pick from Detroit
For Milwaukee, the appeal would be bigger than simply acquiring the best player in the trade.
Duren would give the Bucks a potential post-Giannis foundation alongside No. 10 pick Brayden Burries and No. 13 pick Nate Ament.
Milwaukee selected Burries out of Arizona with its own lottery pick and acquired the selection used on Ament from Miami in the Antetokounmpo blockbuster. The development of Burries and Ament is pivotal to Milwaukee’s rebuild.
Duren would immediately become the proven anchor of that young trio.
He averaged 19.5 points and 10.5 rebounds last season, earning his first All-Star selection and All-NBA honors at 22.
Burries gives Milwaukee a young scoring guard. Ament brings size and two-way upside on the wing. Duren would provide the interior presence, rebounding and efficient scoring in the middle.
That is the outline of an actual rebuild.
Trade Would Take Sacramento Out of the Equation
The price would be steep.
Herro and Ware were significant pieces of Milwaukee’s return for Antetokounmpo. The Bucks also received Jaime Jaquez Jr., Kasparas Jakučionis, Ament, first-round picks in 2031 and 2033, a 2030 pick swap and a 2033 second-rounder.
Ware, in particular, is a promising 22-year-old center coming off a season in which he averaged 11.1 points and nine rebounds.
That is why Milwaukee could reasonably seek draft compensation back from Detroit rather than adding more to the deal.
The alternative is patience. The Bucks could keep Ware, allow Herro’s contract to expire and pursue Duren next summer.
But waiting carries its own risk.
Sacramento could be waiting, too.
Trading for Duren now would remove that variable and give Milwaukee something it has lacked since Antetokounmpo left: a young, proven player around whom the franchise could organize its future.
A core of Duren, Burries and Ament would not replace Giannis.
It would give the Bucks a clear place to start after him.
Bucks Proposed Trade Lands 22-Year-Old All-NBA Star as Post-Giannis Anchor