Guide to the NBA trade deadline: Bucks
The Vertical Front-Office Insider Bobby Marks, a 20-year executive with the Nets, breaks down the Milwaukee Bucks' situation as the Feb. 18 trade deadline approaches.
HANG UP IF THEY ASK ABOUT ...
The young core
Milwaukee exceeded everyone's expectations last year with a playoff berth. The Bucks' success a year ago advanced the rebuild for a team that won 15 games in 2013-14. Likely heading to the draft lottery in May, Bucks management should not focus on a quick fix that gets the team closer to the playoffs rather than staying the course of rebuilding while also remaining competitive.
Giannis Antetokounmpo, in his third season with Milwaukee, is still scratching the surface. The 21-year-old Antetokounmpo's ability to guard multiple positions, length and continued development has made him one of the cornerstones for Milwaukee. Still on his rookie contract, the Bucks will have the opportunity to lock him up for the long term this summer.
Jabari Parker has seen his minutes and play increase over the past month. Still rebounding from a torn ACL suffered last season, the 20-year-old Parker is starting to round into the player worthy of the second overall pick in 2014. Bucks fans should expect to see the full package from Parker next season. It is common for a player recovering from a knee injury to perform at his highest level two seasons removed from injury.
In a league void of 6-foot-8 wings with the ability to shoot the ball, Milwaukee has a gem with Khris Middleton. The 24-year-old Middleton struck gold this summer, signing a $70 million contract with Milwaukee. Although the price tag might seem high for the former second-round pick (Detroit), Middleton's $14 million annual salary will be below market value this summer with a rising salary cap.
When Milwaukee acquired Michael Carter-Williams last February, one could assume the Bucks were starting from scratch. Even with a Rookie of the Year award, Carter-Williams needed to improve his overall fundamental basketball. With structure in place and better players around him, the 6-6 point guard has begun to flourish this season. Although still a work in progress, Carter-Williams' size and athleticism are hard for Milwaukee to give up on.
Greg Monroe
The prize free agent last summer has lived up to the expectations. A constant double/double threat every night, the 25-year-old Monroe is in the first year of a three-year contract. As Milwaukee learned this summer, free agency is a tricky place to navigate and moving a player like Monroe would only set Milwaukee back to last July.
2016 first-round pick
No quick fixes for the Bucks, and that includes dangling a potential top-10 lottery pick. The Bucks' leverage will increase in the spring when they can target keeping the pick or searching for a team to bring back an impact player.
WORTH TAKING THE CALL
O.J. Mayo
Mayo has seen his overall play decrease this season. In the final year of his contract, the 28-year-old Mayo has been hurt by his inability to stay healthy this season. With an $8 million price tag, Milwaukee should have suitors if it is willing to take on salary for next season.
Miles Plumlee
Plumlee, a soon-to-be free agent, has seen spot minutes for Milwaukee this season. After posting a career season in Phoenix two years ago, Plumlee's minutes and production have dipped. On the fourth year of his rookie contract, Plumlee has value around the league for a playoff team looking for bench security in the spring.
NO-TRADE CLAUSE OR WITH A RESTRICTION
Greivis Vasquez
Vasquez, who was acquired from Toronto, cannot be traded back to the Raptors during this season.
MOVE THAT PUSHES THE NEEDLE
None.
Milwaukee is a team that is in the middle stages of a rebuild that started two seasons ago. The Bucks need to continue developing their core, stay healthy and rely on a strong scouting staff this summer with the draft and free agency.
TREASURE CHEST OF PICKS
Filled with current players
Milwaukee is ahead of the curve with the recent draft selections of Parker, Antetokounmpo and the trade to acquire Carter-Williams and Middleton.
With the second-youngest team in the NBA, Milwaukee has gone with youth rather than having a plethora of future picks from other teams.
Milwaukee has its own first-round pick, projected to be in the top 10.
The Bucks own their future first-round picks.
AVAILABLE TRADE EXCEPTIONS
Milwaukee has two large trade exceptions valued at $4.2 million and $5.2 million. The trade exceptions were created in the Jared Dudley and Zaza Pachulia deal last summer. Both exceptions will expire on July.
POST-TRADE DEADLINE ROSTER MOVEMENT
Milwaukee has 15 guaranteed contracts
Unless they inch close to the No. 8 seed in the East, expect the Bucks to remain quiet post-trade deadline.
SNEAK PEEK TOWARD JULY
Cap space for Milwaukee will depend on the salary cap holds of veterans Mayo, Vasquez and Jerryd Bayless. With the core group returning, the Bucks could have close to $20 million in cap space in July. The room factors in the cap holds being released for all three players. With all five starters in place, the target for Milwaukee should be to solidify its bench.
INSIDER INFO
The rookie extension for John Henson falls under the "poison pill" category. For trade purposes, a team wishing to acquire Henson would use a salary of $9.5 million, plus the applicable traded players exception. This number factors in the average of Henson's contract in the fourth year and the extension that was signed in October. Milwaukee would only be allowed to acquire a salary of $2.9 million, plus the applicable traded player exception, the value of Henson's fourth year.
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