Milwaukee Bucks: Realistic trade ideas to acquire Victor Oladipo

Would Victor Oladipo fit within the Milwaukee Bucks’ scheme?

If the Milwaukee Bucks are going to sacrifice assets to acquire an impactful contributor this offseason, it needs to be an accountable player that ideally fits the flow of head coach Mike Budenholzer’s schemes while also possessing the capability of taking pressure off Giannis and Khris, especially in crunch time — Victor Oladipo’s abilities fit that description.

Vic is a two-time All-Star that made the 2017-18 All-Defensive Team and has averaged 17.3 points and 1.7 steals per game on 44.1 percent field goals and 35.0 percent shooting from beyond the arc across his career. He’s developed into a shifty ball-handler with a smooth jump shot, and utilizes his explosiveness, athleticism, awareness, and active hands to disrupt opponents defensively on the perimeter.

The former Indiana Hoosier has taken significant strides over the years to identify himself as one of the star two-way players in this league. There’s no doubt that the addition of Oladipo’s abilities would support the Bucks in a variety of ways.

Nevertheless, the overall perception of the 28-year-old has unfortunately changed following the devastating knee injury that he suffered in January of 2019. Even though he’s now recovered and was able to compete in the bubble after being sidelined for over a year, it appears that he hasn’t been himself for the most part. Therefore, his value seems to have slightly dropped.

At the moment, Oladipo isn’t among that All-Star tier that he was at pre-injury, but there’s still optimism about his elite level of play. The Pacers may have been swept in the first round of the NBA Playoffs in the bubble, but Vic tallied averages of 17.8 points and 2.3 steals per game on 36.4 percent from 3-point range to at least prove that he’s still a valuable contributor.

There’s going to be risk involved with trading for Oladipo, not only due to his history of injuries but with his contract situation as well. If the Bucks were to acquire him, they’d basically be giving up assets for a possible one-year rental since he’s got one year and $21 million left on his contract.

That’s something that the Milwaukee Bucks would have to decide whether his impact is worth it. It’s no secret that the Bucks are expected to be “all in” on improving the roster this season in an effort to convince Giannis Antetokounmpo to stay long-term, so bringing in someone like Victor Oladipo, who would mesh smoothly within Milwaukee’s top-tier systems, could become well worth the risk even if it’s just for one season.

It’s an interesting situation, but if the Bucks do decide that his skill set is worth sacrificing assets for a possible one-year loan that’s coming off a serious injury, then what would a potential deal with the Indiana Pacers look like?