Milwaukee Bucks Trade Rumors: Miles Plumlee To Charlotte Hornets?

With the trade deadline rapidly approaching, the Milwaukee Bucks have reportedly reached an agreement to trade Miles Plumlee to the Charlotte Hornets.

The Milwaukee Bucks — and particularly the team’s general manager John Hammond — have never been averse to taking a risk or two when it comes to the trade deadline, and it appears that 2017 will be no exception.

It’s been no secret that the money the Bucks have tied up in their center rotation has been far from ideal, but although many believed the team would like to shake things up, the probability of something actually happening seemed like a long shot.

With reports coming from Marc Stein and Brian Windhorst of ESPN, it seems like the Bucks did indeed find a taker though, and that Miles Plumlee will be on the move.

Plumlee, who signed a four-year, $50 million deal to return to the Bucks in the summer, has failed to have anywhere near the impact he had post All-Star break last year, and with a contract that already seemed to be restricting future flexibility, he was starting to look like something of a blemish on the franchise’s otherwise bright future.

If the deal materializes as ESPN are reporting, the Bucks will cut themselves free from that financial burden in exchange for two players who will likely be free agents this summer.

In Hibbert’s case, there’s no doubt about his future. The veteran center who has been an All-Star on two occasions is in the final year of a $5 million contract and will be hoping to pick up one of his final guaranteed pay days this summer.

For Spencer Hawes, free agency likely beckons too, although it is worth noting that the 28-year-old could opt in to a player option for just over $6 million next season.

In order to clear the roster spots to absorb both Hawes and Hibbert, Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical reports that the Bucks will waive veteran forward Steve Novak.

With an already congested big man rotation, there’s a possibility that this isn’t the end of Milwaukee’s trades, although according to Marc Stein, early indications suggest that both Hawes and Hibbert will not be on the move.

Of course, that doesn’t mean that a trade involving the likes of Greg Monroe or John Henson couldn’t still alter the picture at the center spot.

With the deal scheduled to be ratified later on Thursday, the immediate result appears to be that the Bucks’ financial picture has just grown a lot more flexible.

Next: Milwaukee Bucks: Player Power Rankings (Jan. 26-Feb. 1)

Stick with us for more updates and analysis of this deal over the coming hours and days.