NBA trade rumors: Bucks offering low-ball package to improve squad

After firing head coach Adrian Griffin and hiring Doc Rivers to be the new head coach of the squad, it seems like the Bucks are not done making changes. According to Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports, the Milwaukee Bucks are offering Pat Connaughton and Cameron Payne around the league to help their defense. Fischer said the franchise is also baiting teams around the league with a 2024 Trail Blazers second-round pick that the Bucks own.

While the Bucks are only three games back of the Celtics for first place in the standings, the defense for the squad has been subpar at times. In conjunction with some offensive struggles for Damian Lillard, the team is facing concerns as they head into the second half of the NBA regular season. Clearly, they are looking for some upgrades to address these concerns. With the reported package that the team is offering, how much of an upgrade in talent can the Bucks get?

What kind of players can the Bucks get with this trade package?

In all reality, the Bucks can't get a lot of value in deals for the kind of package that they are offering. Still, the squad could find the right offer. One idea might be to speak to the Nets about Royce O'Neale. Brooklyn is a franchise that should be trying to rebuild or at the very least get younger. The Bucks could use Pat Connaughton and the Trail Blazers' second-round pick to maybe get a deal done.

While O'Neale might not sound like the biggest defensive upgrade in the world, this is a squad that doesn't have a lot of chances to get better. With that in mind, the defensive upgrade will need to come from a new system implemented by Doc Rivers. At the end of the day, Milwaukee will go bargain bin shopping and will likely not be able to land any real great upgrades to their defense.