Milwaukee Bucks: Why Donte DiVincenzo should be on the trade block

The Milwaukee Bucks had an agreement in principle to trade Donte DiVincenzo to the Sacramento Kings last November. Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN tweeted on November 17th that DiVincenzo would be the centerpiece of the package going to Sacramento in exchange for restricted free agent Bogdan Bogdanović.

Unfortunately, the trade agreement started to fall apart a few hours later as Bucks Governor Marc Lasry began to brag about the unofficial trade during the board of governors meeting. Lasry’s behavior angered one team, who proceeded to submit a formal tempering complaint to the league. The NBA would conduct an investigation into the trade where it determined the transaction was invalid as it occurred before free agency.

Consequently, Milwaukee bought DiVincenzo into the fold and eventually named him the starting shooting guard. The decision to put him in the starting lineup has paid off throughout the first 34 games. DiVincenzo is shooting 43 percent from the field on 9.4 shots which have helped him average a career-high 10.4 points per game.

Why the Milwaukee Bucks should put Donte DiVincenzo on the trading block

Although DiVincenzo is posting a career-high in points, Milwaukee should make him available for trade again as it is unknown whether he can replicate the production in the future, and he is currently their best tradable asset.

Head coach Mike Budenholzer is currently running a system centered around isolation, post up and transition possessions. Milwaukee is now 5th in the league in isolation possessions averaging 9.1 per game over the first 34 games. Budenholzer gave 49.4 percent of those possessions to Giannis Antetokounmpo, as he is averaging 4.5 per game.

The Milwaukee Bucks are also 4th in the league in post-up possessions averaging 7.3 per game. Antetokounmpo has been responsible for 46.6 percent of those possessions averaging 3.4 per game. Lastly, Milwaukee is currently leading the league in transition possessions averaging 23.3 per game. Antetokounmpo has taken 33.5 percent of those possessions, averaging 7.8 per game.

Budenholzer’s offense has forced DiVincenzo to spend the majority of his minutes as a floor spacer. For example, Antetokounmpo pushed the basketball up to the restricted area early in the second quarter of a home game against Chicago.

Unfortunately, upon arriving in the restricted area, Antetokounmpo was surrounded by Thaddeus Young, Chandler Hutchinson, and Colby White, leading him to pass the ball to Pat Connaughton in the left corner. Denzel Valentine saw where the ball was headed and began to approach Connaughton to prevent an open three. It forced Connaughton to pass the ball to DiVincenzo on the left-wing, who missed a 3-pointer.

DiVincenzo’s role has contributed to him taking 53 percent of his shots from behind the arc averaging 5 per game. 68 percent of those attempts have been catch and shoots as he is averaging 3.4 per game. DiVincenzo is excelling in the role this season, converting 41.2 percent of his catch and shoots. The catch and shoots have helped him shoot 39.4.percent from behind the arc.

Unfortunately, it is unknown whether his shooting numbers are a blip or a trend, as DiVincenzo struggled in his first two seasons. DiVincenzo converted 32.1 percent of his catch and shoots on 2.6 attempts per game. Catch and shoots accounted for 74.3 percent of the total attempts as he shot 31.8 percent from behind the arc on 3.5 attempts.

More importantly, DiVincenzo is the team’s best tradable asset as they traded multiple first-round picks in the Jrue Holiday trade. Milwaukee sent their 2025, 2027 first-round picks and pick swaps in 2024 and 2026 to New Orleans.

Therefore, DiVincenzo’s performance, combined with the Bucks’ lack of future assets, makes him an ideal trade candidate as his value is high value right now. If he regressed to his normal numbers by the end of this season or at the start of next season, they lose out on the opportunity to get maximum value from their only tradable asset

The Milwaukee Bucks should be targeting mid-tier players with a more consistent shooting track record. For example, they can send DiVincenzo and salary filler to Houston for Eric Gordon. Gordon has made 37.3 percent of his catch and shoots since the 2013-14 season on 5.3 attempts per game.

The catch and shoot have accounted for 72.6 percent of the attempts as he has shot 36.9 percent from behind the arc on 7.3 shots per game. Another trade target can be Harrison Barnes, who has converted 37.9 percent of his catch and shoots since the 2013-14 season 3 attempts per game.

83.3 percent of his threes were catch and shoots as he has shot 37.8 percent from behind the arc on 3.6 shots per game.