With just hours remaining until the start of the 2018 NBA Draft, could the Milwaukee Bucks be looking to trade down and offload Matthew Dellavedova’s deal?
As the 2018 NBA Draft draws ever nearer, one of the biggest questions surrounding the Milwaukee Bucks is whether they’ll look to explore trades or simply step up to the plate and make their pick at No.17.
Based on the franchise’s recent track record, they’d seem like a certainty to pick at the spot where they currently stand, but there have been plenty of changes across the organization over the past 12 months, introducing an element of unpredictability.
If the Bucks are to make a move, one of the most likely motivating factors could be as an attempt to shed some of their more troublesome contract in an attempt to move away from the luxury tax and create salary cap flexibility.
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According to Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer, one of the ways the Bucks may look to do that is by exploring potential moves down in the draft on Thursday.
"“The Bucks are pursuing trades using the no. 17 pick to dump point guard Matthew Dellavedova, who has two years and $19.2 million remaining on his contract, according to league sources. Milwaukee, however, is only looking to trade down in the draft, not to use a deal as an outright salary dump.”"
Firstly, it’s important to note that O’Connor stresses the Bucks would be open to trading down in offloading salary, rather than trading out of the draft entirely in exchange for their 17th pick.
Dellavedova has two years remaining on his current deal with the Bucks and is owed over $19 million. Considering Timofey Mozgov’s behemoth of a contract was traded in recent days, it’s by no means impossible that the Bucks will find a team willing to take on Dellavedova’s deal, but it will remain a challenge to find a suitable trade partner.
This is not the first time Dellavedova’s future has been cast into doubt in Milwaukee either. As recently as the trade deadline, a report from The Athletic suggested the Bucks were actively shopping the Australian veteran.
Injuries have slowed Dellavedova down at times over his two seasons with the Bucks, but on the whole his play has been a long way below the standards he set in Cleveland as he’s failed to offer the Bucks the kind of impact they could really use from a backup point guard.
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The odds are probably still against Dellavedova being traded on draft, but it’s certainly not surprising to hear the Bucks might be trying to move him.