Ashley Landis/Associated Press
The Milwaukee Bucks reportedly explored the choice of acquiring Victor Oladipo from the Indiana Pacers on the root of his existing rapport with Giannis Antetokounmpo, according to The Athletic’s Shams Charania, Eric Nehm and Sam Amick.
“Nonetheless, this offseason consisted of Antetokounmpo spending time with Indiana Pacers two-time All-Star Victor Oladipo, working out and striking out in a foreign country, sources acknowledged,” the myth acknowledged. “It’s undoubtedly one of many valuable reasons the Bucks pursued Oladipo and made a proposal for him within the offseason, according to sources.”
The parable came after Antetokounmpo announced his plans to signal a supermax extension with the Bucks:
Bleacher Account’s Jake Fischer reported Nov. 25 that Oladipo “modified into as soon as mentioned in pretty a great deal of commerce scenarios, sources acknowledged, but Indiana within the break declined Milwaukee’s advances.” One hypothetical commerce package integrated Donte DiVincenzo, George Hill and the No. 24 alternative within the 2020 NBA draft.
DiVincenzo modified into as soon as additionally a fraction of the rumored signal-and-commerce for then-Sacramento Kings guard Bogdan Bogdanovic that impulsively fell thru.
The draft employ modified into as soon as therefore integrated within the four-group commerce all over which the Bucks obtained Jrue Vacation from the New Orleans Pelicans.
Especially since it did not adversely impact the likelihood of Antetokounmpo staying in Milwaukee, failing to land Oladipo will even not were that execrable for the Bucks.
Adding the 2-time All-Star would’ve intended sacrificing roster depth whereas almost completely taking on a astronomical financial dedication since Oladipo‘s because of the hit free company in 2021. That would’ve been a steep label for a participant who hasn’t regained his finest construct since suffering a ruptured quad tendon in January 2019.
Oladipo averaged 14.5 facets and a pair of.9 assists whereas shooting 39.4 percent from the realm and 31.7 percent from long fluctuate in 19 extraordinary-season games upon returning to the court in 2019-20. His playoff performance modified into as soon as finest marginally better as he averaged 17.8 facets and a pair of.5 assists in a valuable-spherical sweep by the Miami Warmth.
Even earlier than the injury, his electrical 2017-18 season looks to be more and more love an outlier as he wasn’t replicating the equivalent roughly production to birth 2018-19.
Possibly Oladipo can maintain a huge 2020-21 and issue all his skeptics execrable, at which point the Bucks might presumably presumably be kicking themselves that they’d presumably presumably not work one thing out with the Pacers.
Barring that end result, it is tantalizing to gape how Oladipo would’ve meaningfully improved Milwaukee’s odds of reaching the NBA Finals if he had joined the squad this offseason.
