The Milwaukee Bucks pulled off a massive trade in the offseason when they sent Giannis Antetokounmpo to the Miami Heat for a big package of players and draft picks.
Now, less than a week into the new NBA season, they might already have a chance to trade one of those newly acquired players again — in this case, because the Oklahoma City Thunder need more depth after the gruesome injury to Jalen Williams.
The player: Jaime Jaquez Jr.
The question: Would Milwaukee actually move him so soon, especially while he’s playing well?
At least one ESPN analyst thinks it could happen.
Jaime Jaquez to Thunder?
ESPN’s Zach Kram names Jaquez as a possibility for the Thunder, who are going to be without both Williams and Cason Wallace for most, if not all, of the season after both were injured on Sunday night.
This is what Kram wrote:
“From Golden State, De’Anthony Melton and Gary Payton II will be eligible to be traded after Dec. 15 and would fill a Wallace-sized gap on the perimeter. Neither 6-foot-2 guard would replicate Williams’ size, though Payton plays bigger and is an elite defender in his own right. Milwaukee’s Jaime Jaquez Jr. has better size but is more of an offensive force than a two-way star, and his hot start with his new team suggests the Bucks might try to re-sign him.”
It likely would come down to whether the Bucks see Jaquez as part of their long-term plans or not.
If they don’t, the Bucks could certainly extract some future value from the Thunder’s treasure trove of draft picks and assets.
But if the Bucks do like Jaquez for the long haul, they don’t have a ton of incentive to move him. It’d be the Thunder trying to convince them to make a move, but it’s the Bucks who have leverage here.
What Happened to Jalen Williams?
Jalen Williams was hurt while attacking the basket for the Thunder on Sunday night against the Clippers.
Derrick Jones Jr. defended the rim while Kris Dunn bumped into Williams from behind.
The collision caused Williams’ left leg to land awkwardly. His left foot was turned at an unnatural angle.
On Monday, the Thunder revealed Williams had dislocated his left ankle and fractured his leg.
The timeline for his return will only be determined fully after he has surgery, but he’s looking at most of the season gone, and maybe all of it.
The Thunder still have the pieces to contend in the Western Conference, and so don’t expect them to sit back and be complacent. A move is likely coming for OKC. Whether it’s Jaquez or not is less certain.
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