NBA Rumors: Bucks Should Explore Trading For Kentavious Caldwell-Pope This Summer

Though Middleton is expected to return next season, it would make sense for the Bucks to target another wingman who could step up when he needs to rest or suffers another injury. According to Dalton Sell of Fansided's Behind The Buck Pass, one of the players that the Bucks could pursue on the trade market is veteran shooting guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope of the Washington Wizards.

"The Bucks will be in the hunt for more wings this offseason, as it was evident that they could have used more of them in the postseason after Khris Middleton went down," Sell wrote. "Adding Caldwell-Pope fits the billing in that regard, as the 6-foot-5 guard could help shore up Milwaukee's depth on the wing immediately."

Caldwell-Pope would undeniably be an intriguing acquisition for the Bucks. He may not be an All-Star, but he's a solid contributor on both ends of the floor. He would give the Bucks a veteran three-and-D wingman who has championship experience.

Though the main purpose of trading for him is to have a reliable backup for Middleton, Caldwell-Pope can also share the court with him and Giannis Antetounmpo. Aside from the fact that he's a natural shooting guard, KCP can excel with or without the ball in his hands.

Targeting a player like Caldwell-Pope on the trade market won't require the Bucks to pay the king's ransom. However, the Bucks would still need to sacrifice some players to match KCP's salary and future draft assets to convince the Wizards to make a deal. In the potential deal that would send Caldwell-Pope to Milwaukee, the Bucks could use the No. 24 pick in the 2022 NBA Draft as their main trade chip.

Before they could trade the pick for the veteran shooting guard, the Bucks should first obtain a first-round selection in 2023, as Stepien Rule prevents a team from being without first-round picks in consecutive years.

Trading Caldwell-Pope to the Bucks for a trade package centered on the No. 24 pick should be a no-brainer for the Wizards, especially if they don't have any plan of keeping the veteran shooting guard long-term in Washington. If Bradley Beal leaves this summer, the Wizards could use the pick to select a young player they could develop in the 2022 NBA Draft.

If Beal stays, they could combine it with other trade assets to land an All-Star caliber talent on the trade market. Before they could execute a trade with the Bucks, the Wizards should first guarantee KCP's contract for the 2022-23 NBA season.