The Milwaukee Bucks have been attached to trade rumors surrounding Zach LaVine for weeks. Now, Malik Monk's name is in the mix, meaning that the potential deal just got bigger. For this to work out, at least one more team would likely have to be involved, and the Kings need to choose well.
The Bucks are looking to build a contender around Giannis Antetokounmpo and have shown interest in Malik Monk, per @JamalCollier
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) December 29, 2025
“In the meantime, multiple team and league sources say the team has been active in pursuing the trade market, engaging in internal conversations… pic.twitter.com/ZVUFRka6gy
At this point, the Bucks are constantly in damage control mode in attempts to keep their star player, Giannis Antetokounmpo, happy. It's a losing battle and he will eventually leave. It's more a matter of when than if at this point. All due respect to Milwaukee, but the Giannis era is on life support.
That being said, if they want to take LaVine and Monk off Sactown's hands to resuscitate it for another season, more power to them. The Bucks want shooters to put on the court with Giannis, and LaVine is one of the best in the business. Plus, Monk is an absolute fireball off the bench.
Even more important, the Kings are actively looking to trade both players. While LaVine and Monk are great scorers, they are lacking on defense, and that is the focus in Sacramento now. If the Kings are going to make a move like this, it's going to take some work to make sure it's a step forward.
How this trade could set up the Kings for the rebuild
In previous conversations about the LaVine trade, the names Ryan Rollins and AJ Green have come up. These two Milwaukee players are next-generation stars. Green is a superb 3&D player, while Rollins has proven to be incredibly explosive on offense, not to mention a relentless defender.
If Monk is also in the mix, that likely means Kyle Kuzma would have to be. That still might not be enough to balance out the contracts of LaVine and Monk. Also, the Kings don't need Kuzma, and the Bucks lack available draft picks to pull any of this together. That's where another team comes in.
At the very least, the Kings and the Bucks will need a third team to join the trade. Depending on the team interested, a fourth one could be needed. The Washington Wizards, who have shown interest in Domantas Sabonis, could be a good fit and have the trade capital to make this work.
However this plays out, some sort of trade scenario involving the Kings and Bucks seems to be getting more likely. There's too much smoke here for there not to be a fire. Hopefully, Sacramento makes smart moves and puts itself in a better position than the one it's currently in.