What if the Milwaukee Bucks fail to make another move

After not getting Peyton Watson, the Bucks may need to stand pat

Mar 25, 2026; Portland, Oregon, USA; Milwaukee Bucks forward Ousmane Dieng (21) scores a basket during the second half against Portland Trail Blazers guard Sidy Cissoko (91) at Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

When the Bucks traded Giannis Antetokounmpo, they knew that they were going to take a step back and not be as competitive as they were with the two-time MVP, and though there is still time before the season starts, people around the league have already ruled the Bucks to be one of the worst teams in the league.

Milwaukee was still interested in making potentially another move to improve its roster, however, after weeks of rumors, the Bucks’ top target, Peyton Watson, will play for the Cleveland Cavaliers, ending the possibility of him heading to Milwaukee.

While there are still a few options, such as Jonathan Kuminga and Bennedict Mathurin, still available, it has gotten to the point of asking: would it be a disappointment if the Bucks fail to make any additional moves to the roster?

Here's our thoughts.

Alex Golden

Milwaukee's offseason has been all about rebuilding in their first season post Giannis. In the deal with Miami, they acquired several young players in Kel'el Ware, Kasparas Jakučionis and Jamie Jaquez to develop and grow. In addition to those three players, they added Brayden Burries and Nate Ament in the 2026 NBA Draft.

That's five players that Milwaukee has to find playing time for so they can get on-court experience and develop. When you factor in Milwaukee's young players they had before the trade  --point guard Ryan Rollins and wing Ousmane Dieng-- this is a deep roster full of players who need time to learn and grow together.

Adding more youth to the roster would bring competition for playing time, which isn't a bad thing, but with so many new additions it was not a necessity for Milwaukee to make anymore moves. With veterans like Myles Turner, Caris LeVert, and Kyle Kuzma still on the roster, the opportunity to add more youth throughout the season is still an option.

Expectations should be low for the Bucks as they pivot from having the best player in the conference to not having a top 25 player in the conference. But hopefully by the end of the 2026-27 season they have clarity on what young pieces are worth building around.

Feb 25, 2026; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Bucks guard Ryan Rollins (13) shoots around jCleveland Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen (31) during the fourth quarter at Fiserv Forum. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Tre Allen

Unless something unexpected happens, this season is going to be a long journey for the Milwaukee Bucks until they reach the point where they are competitive this season. Obviously, trading away Giannis Antetokounmpo is really going to set things back for a while, but Milwaukee did get four players in that trade and made two selections in the first round of this year's draft.

The Bucks want to be as competitive as possible, so the idea of trading for Watson, Kuminga or Mathurin isn’t a bad one, especially for the right price, but now things look bleak for a potential move and might not make another one for the rest of the offseason.

I don’t think that’s necessarily a bad thing. Missing out on Watson isn’t the worst thing since the Denver Nuggets wanted a first-round pick, which is something a rebuilding team like Milwaukee has to be cautious about when making a trade. Also, while I do think Mathurin and Kuminga could find a role and help the Bucks, I don’t think they are players that you absolutely have to go after, especially since both of them are seeking contracts around $15 million.

You still have returners like Ryan Rollins, Ousmane Dieng, Kyle Kuzma and Myles Turner on the roster who provide depth and other scoring options. Given the Bucks' current position, I don’t think that another move is pivotal for this team and they should focus on what's right in front of them.

Ethan J. Skolnick

There's no need to panic now because, in a highly-competitive Eastern Conference with starpower everywhere, the expectations are and should be muted for this season anyway.

The Bucks will lose a lot this year, which is never great, but it does allow for some patience. Let the young players compete in camp for roles and then see what's most needed. Milwaukee also shouldn't rush to make any major moves in-house; the extensions for Tyler Herro and Jaime Jaquez Jr. can wait. While the four former Heat players are familiar with each other, it's important to see how they fit with the players already on hand, as well as with the draft picks that Milwaukee made.

Let it play out. Watson was a good target, but there will be others in that age and price range eventually.