Bucks should trade for former No. 1 pick instead of Ja Morant, analyst suggests

Story byAlex WalshFri, January 16, 2026 at 8:54 PM UTC·2 min readBucks should trade for former No. 1 pick instead of Ja Morant, analyst suggests originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here. The Bucks have been a team looking to make a splash ahead of the NBA trade deadline, but maybe a blockbuster trade isn't the move. AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementThere are plenty of good but not star-level players available on the trade market who are more affordable and less risky, who the Bucks could opt to go after. One former first overall pick the Bucks could inquire about is a more flexible option for Milwaukee, as an NBA analyst recently suggested. What former first overall pick could the Bucks target?ESPN's Jamal Collier wrote an article recently that broke down the options the Bucks have ahead of the trade deadline. He went through the choices they could make, from blowing it up to making an aggressive move to get the team back closer to being a contender. AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementThen, there was one option he proposed, where the Bucks "upgrade on the margins."MORE: Grizzlies asking price in potential Ja Morant-Bucks trade revealed by NBA insiderIt seems like an option that makes more sense for the Bucks and can lead to a positive outcome without potentially ruining the team. In that section of the article, Collier talked about the idea of Milwaukee targeting a player such as former first overall pick Andrew Wiggins. Wiggins has a player option on his contract for next season (~$30 million) and is a cheaper option than Morant, but is still a player with upside in a trade. AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementThe Heat have been looking to move on from him, as it's been about a year since acquiring him in the trade that sent Jimmy Butler to the Warriors. He's only 30-years old, and is averaging 15.8 points with Miami this season. Adding a scorer like that to Milwaukee and someone who can be a key piece on a contending team could be a major piece to the puzzle, which the Bucks are missing at the moment. It wouldn't break the bank, and if things went well, Wiggins and the Bucks could probably negotiate a new contract that fits both sides' needs. There are plenty of other wings and guards the Bucks could go after, but Wiggins seems like a viable option given his situation and how he could easily fit in with the Bucks and their timeline. AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementMore NBA news:Celtics could land elite DPOY center without giving up Derrick White in latest mock tradeWould the Pistons trading for Michael Porter Jr.