Hansen Yang's teammate becomes a target! The Bucks are interested in acquiring Grant: also showing interest in players like Smart

On December 17th Beijing time, according to NBA insider Fischer, the Milwaukee Bucks are signaling to other teams that they favor building around Giannis Antetokounmpo instead of trading their franchise forward. Jerami Grant, Hansen Yang’s teammate, is among the players the Bucks are targeting.

A general manager from another team, interviewed anonymously, disclosed that the Bucks are projecting a powerful stance in the trade market, aiming for high-profile moves. However, whether the Bucks can maintain this position until the February 6 trade deadline remains uncertain. Some teams believe the Bucks might eventually shift their strategy and become sellers; multiple league executives also think that even if Giannis does not request a trade, the Bucks should consider trading him sooner for their long-term benefit.

Currently, given the Bucks’ lack of valuable draft picks for trades, Fischer suggests that if the team truly wants to upgrade their roster, they might focus on players with less cost-effective contracts, as these trades would be less expensive. Sacramento Kings guard De'Aaron Fox fits this profile and has previously been linked to the Bucks. Portland Trail Blazers forward Jerami Grant is also a player Milwaukee has shown interest in, having monitored him this season and over recent years.

Grant’s salary for the 2025-26 season is $32 million, with contracts totaling $70.6 million over the next two seasons. He struggled during the 2024-25 season but has started this season strong—averaging 20.0 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 2.6 assists over the first 25 games, with shooting percentages of 43.8%, 39.5%, and 86.3% respectively.

Thanks to his impressive start this season, Grant’s trade value has likely increased. Trail Blazers GM Cronin has always highly regarded this veteran forward. Still, Grant’s contract is not considered a “positive value deal.” Therefore, the Bucks might consider trading for Grant while seeking a draft pick in return—especially since the Trail Blazers hold several future Bucks picks from the previous Lillard trade, making this option potentially attractive to Milwaukee.

Fischer also revealed that the Bucks had shown interest in Heat forward Andrew Wiggins and Pelicans guard Dejounte Murray. Sources indicated that before Wiggins was traded to Miami last season, the Bucks frequently contacted the Warriors to inquire about him; similarly, before Murray was sent to New Orleans, Milwaukee explored trade possibilities with the Hawks. It’s worth noting that Murray has not played in the 2025-26 season due to an Achilles tear, and the Pelicans hope he can return from injury as early as next month.

Additionally, Fischer mentioned that the Bucks had previously expressed interest in Lakers guard Marcus Smart and Mavericks forward P.J. Washington. However, he admitted that the Lakers are unlikely to part with Smart, who is one of their top defenders; and Washington, having recently re-signed with Dallas, is not eligible to be traded this season.

If the Bucks aim to execute a major trade without involving Giannis, at least one of the forwards Kyle Kuzma (earning $22.4 million) or new center Myles Turner (earning $25.3 million) will likely be included in the deal. Besides Giannis, who earns $54.1 million this season, these two are the only Bucks players with salaries exceeding $13.5 million this year.