NBA Trade 2018-19 Review: Milwaukee Bucks - Mirotic Arrives, Davis Slips Away & more

A possible Davis and Mirotic reunion in Milwaukee was on the cards.
A possible Davis and Mirotic reunion in Milwaukee was on the cards.

Filled with nail-biting trade stories and rumor threads all throughout the final week, this mid-season trade window was unlike any other. Players held on to their franchises for dear life only to be informed that they have been shipped for someone better. Those who were lucky enough to stay were left with a bad taste of disloyalty towards their organizations.

As of this moment, the Milwaukee Bucks hold the league's best record going into the All-Star break, with their marquee power forward Giannis Antentokounmpo having being chosen as a team captain from the Eastern Conference.

Now that the constant buzz has died down, and the trade deadline is behind us, the Bucks do look somewhat better coming out on the other side. Let's do a comprehensive review of how this mid-season trade period panned out for the leading title contenders.


#1 Players they received and assets they had to let go of

Thon Maker had let the franchise know that he wanted out of Milwaukee.
Thon Maker had let the franchise know that he wanted out of Milwaukee.

The Bucks got to actively looking for landing spots for the former 10th pick of the 2016 draft, following his desire to be traded to a team where he would have 'a larger role'.

Thon sat out a bunch of games before being shipped to Detroit as part of a three-team trade involving the New Orleans Pelicans as well in which the Bucks acquired Nikola Mirotic.

According to ESPN,

The Milwaukee Bucks have acquired Nikola Mirotic from the New Orleans Pelicans in exchange for Jason Smith, Stanley Johnson and four second-round picks, the teams announced Thursday. The deal also includes the Detroit Pistons, who had traded Johnson to the Bucks for Thon Maker on Wednesday.

Mirotic is averaging career-highs of 16.7 points and 8.3 rebounds across the 32 games he has played this season, and is slated to become an unrestricted free agent this summer.

This was a perfect bargain for Milwaukee as they let go of Maker and Smith who would fit other teams looking to add value and depth to their roster without having to dole out big money.

#2 The generational talent in Anthony Davis eludes the Bucks just like all the other teams

Anthony Davis saga is on halt, only until the offseason approaches.
Anthony Davis saga is on halt, only until the offseason approaches.

Midway through the trade window, the Bucks emerged as dark horses in the rat race to land the future MVP in Anthony Davis.

According to The Ringer's Kevin O'Connor,

New Orleans has options right now. The Lakers, Knicks, Bucks, and Raptors are expected to make trade offers for Davis ahead of the deadline, according to multiple front-office sources.

Running with the Lakers and Celtics, the Bucks offered everything but their main man Giannis to the Pelicans for AD.

Many did fantasize about the monster pairing of Antetokounmpo and Davis in Milwaukee's front-court, but that would have come at a cost of at least Bledsoe, Brogdon, Middleton, and picks. In retrospect, Pelicans GM Demps' demands turned out to be outrageous even for the frontrunners in LA as well as Boston who possessed the most assets, and so the Bucks front office had to swiftly wake themselves up from the potential AD-in-Milwaukee dream.

#3 Some deadline steals they couldn't pull off

Marc Gasol is wearing foreign colors for the first time in 11 seasons.
Marc Gasol is wearing foreign colors for the first time in 11 seasons.

What nullified the addition of Mirotic to the Bucks is the fact that the Raptors landed veteran big Marc Gasol. Hence, the balance of power amongst the top echelons of the East remains undisturbed.

The Bucks needed someone like Gasol on their roster, as he can play both ends of the floor with equal efficiency and could've been a role-player in Milwaukee like none other. With the current center, Brook Lopez's future uncertain due to free-agency, betting money on Gasol for long-term would have been fruitful.

Another possible candidate that went unnoticed is Dwight Howard. He's still able to produce 12.8 points and 9.3 rebounds on an average and comes at a nominal cost of $5.6 million. Washington should have done a better job of selling him to teams like the Bucks who can use his experience and physicality in the center role, also giving them a defensive edge on a nightly basis.

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Edited by Arvind Sriram