Milwaukee Bucks: 30 Most Significant Moments In Franchise History
By Adam McGee
Dec 7, 2014; Dallas, TX, USA; Dallas Mavericks forward Dirk Nowitzki (41) celebrates the win over the Milwaukee Bucks at the American Airlines Center. The Mavericks defeated the Bucks 125-102. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
17. Drafting And Trading Dirk Nowitzki
Dirk Nowitzki has had a habit of putting on big displays against the Milwaukee Bucks throughout his NBA career, but the story could have been so different. The Bucks selected Nowitzki with the ninth pick of the 1998 NBA draft before trading him on immediately to the Dallas Mavericks.
By that time, Don Nelson had moved on to become the coach and general manager of the Mavericks and had his heart set on landing the big German. Fortunately for him and unfortunately for the Bucks, Milwaukee had their eyes on former McDonalds All-American Robert Traylor.
Nelson drafted Traylor with Dallas’ sixth pick in exchange for the rights to Nowitzki and the number 19th pick Pat Garrity. To add former insult to injury, Nelson then went on to trade Garrity for young Phoenix point guard Steve Nash. It’s all conjecture, as if not for knowing that the Bucks wanted Traylor, Nelson may not have even selected him at six, but that will never stop Bucks fans of thinking about how their two picks in 1998 ultimately amounted to Dallas having Nowitzki and Nash.
Next: 16. Bogut's Gruesome Injury