Should the Bucks make a move for Jalen Duren?
The Milwaukee Bucks made the biggest move of the offseason just ahead of the draft, dealing franchise icon Giannis Antetokounmpo to the Miami Heat.
Milwaukee got much younger with the trade, acquiring Tyler Herro, Kel'el Ware, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Kasparas Jakučionis, the No. 13 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, two unprotected future first-round picks (2031 and 2033), a 2030 first-round pick swap, and a 2033 second-round pick.
Along with the 13th overall pick, Milwaukee already had the 10th overall pick.
Bobby Portis also went to Miami in the deal, further lowering the team’s average age.
Kyle Kuzma and Myles Turner are the only two rotation players over the age of 30.
Another Big Move?
Bleacher Report published a new hypothetical trade that would make the Bucks even younger in a blockbuster deal.
In the hypothetical trade, the Detroit Pistons would receive Ryan Rollins, Myles Turner and a 2031 first-round pick (top-five protected) in exchange for Jalen Duren in a sign-and-trade deal.
Duren is a restricted free agent, and talks with the Pistons reportedly have not gone well. Duren is coming off an All-Star season where he averaged 19.5 points, 10.5 rebounds, and two assists, but had a disappointing playoff outing, averaging just 10.2 points and 8.5 rebounds.
A Good Move For Milwaukee?
Not unless you believe Jalen Duren is going to turn into the second coming of Hakeem Olajuwon.
He’s only 22 years old, and there is plenty of room for growth, but his playoff performance can’t be ignored. He’s not a guy who creates for himself, and the Bucks aren’t currently in the best position to utilize him to his strengths.
The positive in this trade is getting off the Myles Turner contract as he’s owed $27 million per year over the next three seasons, but it would come at the cost of trading Rollins, who is coming off a breakout year and has proven himself as the lead point guard, and a future first-round pick when they are already lacking their own draft capital.
While they get off Turner’s deal, they’d be paying Duren even more money on a new max contract.
Rollins will be owed a raise next offseason after he likely declines his player option, and if Milwaukee doesn’t want to pay him, they can find a better fit for their team than Duren in trading him.
Doing this trade also commits the team further to Tyler Herro, Jaime Jaquez Jr, and Kevin Porter Jr as at least two of them are necessary to maximize Duren. Herro and Porter Jr are unrestricted free agents at the end of the season, while Jaquez Jr is a restricted free agent.
The Bucks could have cap space in letting Herro, Kuzma, and Caris LeVert walk, but who is signing in Milwaukee to play with Duren?
