Milwaukee Bucks reportedly acquire center Tyler Zeller from Brooklyn Nets

Ahead of this year’s trade deadline, the Milwaukee Bucks have reportedly acquired big man Tyler Zeller from the Brooklyn Nets in exchange for Rashad Vaughn and a future second round pick.

The Milwaukee Bucks have been long reported as having interest in a big man to bolster their frontcourt depth, and on Monday evening they seem to have made a move to that effect.

According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, the Bucks have acquired veteran center Tyler Zeller in a move that will send Rashad Vaughn and a future second round pick to the Brooklyn Nets.

Before going any further, let’s take a look at the details shared by Wojnarowski across multiple tweets.

Zeller will arrive in Milwaukee after a productive season with the Nets, where he spent most of the year starting before recent developmental move saw him moved out of the rotation in favor of younger pieces in Brooklyn.

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As I relayed in a recent piece identifying Zeller as a potential trade deadline target for Milwaukee, in spite of 33 starts on the year to date, Nets coach Kenny Atkinson explained the decision to bench Zeller by saying:

"“Tyler’s been really good for us, solid. I’ve been doing it, but it’s not easy playing three centers. At some point — and not saying Tyler’s out of the rotation — but just finding that when we play two guys they get decent minutes, and also gets [Quincy Acy] at the five a little bit, which is some of our best lineups, honestly.”"

Zeller is on a minimum deal for the remainder of the current season, while he is owed $1.9 million for next season, but that amount is unguaranteed. That will play to Milwaukee’s advantage as they’ll now have a cheap big man in place if required with their tight salary situation, while also having the flexibility required to cut him for space or better options if the situation presents itself.

For the year to date, Zeller averaged 7.1 points and 4.6 rebounds in 16.7 minutes per game, and he will certainly fortify Milwaukee’s bench depth while offering much needed size and strength. Zeller played in 11 postseason games for the Boston Celtics last season.

With the Bucks playing in New York on Tuesday, it’s possible that Zeller could join up with the team almost immediately.

Of course, the trade also marks the end of a chapter of recent Bucks history, as Rashad Vaughn, who was selected under somewhat controversial circumstances by the Bucks in 2015, moves on to ply his trade elsewhere.

Vaughn’s selection with the 17th pick was sold by the franchise as a move designed to boost scoring and shooting, yet Vaughn has never managed to produce either of those things in the NBA.

For his career to date, the former UNLV Runnin’ Rebel is averaging 33.7 percent from the field and 31.2 percent from three-point range. Although he’s still only 21, after three years under their watch, it’s apparent the Bucks believed that meaningful improvements weren’t set to come from Vaughn any time soon.

The other element of the deal is a little more complicated due to the season’s previously complicated Bucks trade. The pick owed to the Nets is tied up with the obligations the Bucks have to the Suns in terms of draft picks owed from the Eric Bledsoe trade.

It seems almost certain that the first round pick from that deal will not convey to Phoenix this year, and as such, barring any currently unreported protections, Milwaukee’s 2018 second rounder will be destined for Phoenix.

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Stay tuned with us at Behind the Buck Pass for much more reaction and analysis over the next 24 hours.