Which Teams are Best Fits for Bucks' Grayson Allen amid Latest NBA Trade Rumors?
Grayson Allen is in his second season with the Milwaukee Bucks, and he's been an integral part of the team's starting lineup since arriving in a trade from the Memphis Grizzlies in August 2021. But soon, the 27-year-old guard may be on the move again.
According to Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports, the Bucks have "called numerous teams" to discuss Allen's trade prospects. The former Duke standout has already played for three franchises in his five-year NBA career after he was drafted by the Utah Jazz in 2018.
Even though Milwaukee is off to a 10-2 start, it could be looking to add depth at other positions to make its roster as talented as possible. Allen may be one of the Bucks' biggest trade pieces, especially because they're strong on the wings and will eventually get back Khris Middleton, who hasn't played yet this season because of a left wrist injury.
If Allen is on the trade block, which teams should be potential suitors? Here's a look at a few fits that could work out best for him.
This may be the trade scenario that makes the most sense. Jae Crowder has yet to play for the Suns this season, as the team is looking to move the 32-year-old forward. Fischer reported that the Bucks' interest in Crowder is "well known," and that could bring Allen into a conversation.
"Salary-wise, the two wings do fit a direct one-for-one swap, sending Crowder to the new home he desires and yielding Phoenix the rotation piece it's seeking in return for Crowder," Fischer wrote.
Phoenix is without forward Cameron Johnson, who recently underwent surgery on his right knee. It appears likely he'll miss more than a month. So the Suns would benefit from moving Crowder now in exchange for a player who would actually be on the court for them.
Even if Allen became a bench player in Phoenix, he'd serve a valuable role and would give the team another solid scoring option behind Devin Booker.
A formula for success for the Mavericks is likely to surround star point guard Luka Doncic with shooters. And right now, Dallas doesn't have the type of perimeter players to follow all the way through on that type of game plan.
The Mavs are shooting 35 percent from three-point range, which ranks 19th in the NBA. That's one of the reasons why they're now 6-5, having dropped back-to-back road games against the Orlando Magic and Washington Wizards.
Allen would greatly improve that area of need for Dallas. He's a career 39.5 percent shooter from beyond the arc, and in 11 games this season, he's shooting 42.6 percent on threes, which would be his career best.
With the Mavericks likely to be a playoff contender in the Western Conference this season, Allen would improve their rotation and help fill a key role that they're lacking, making them a bigger postseason threat.
It's been a surprisingly slow start to the season for the defending NBA champion Warriors, who are 5-7 after notching back-to-back wins. Because of that, Golden State could be in the market for a trade or two over the next few months.
Sure, the Warriors already have a lot of perimeter talent with Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson in the backcourt. But they play their best when they're knocking down a plethora of shots from long range, and Allen would fit right in beside them.
All three of these fits would give Allen a great opportunity to win his first NBA title (of course, so would staying in Milwaukee). However, Golden State knows how to make a championship run, considering it did so last season.
So if Allen ends up with the Warriors, he'd be part of an experienced group that is likely to get things turned around from their sluggish start one way or another.
