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Milwaukee Bucks: Ranking top 5 moves of Jon Horst’s tenure

By Jordan Treske

SANTA MONICA, CA - JUNE 24: (Photo by Will Navarro/NBAE via Getty Images)
SANTA MONICA, CA - JUNE 24: (Photo by Will Navarro/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – NOVEMBER 06: (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – NOVEMBER 06: (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) /

4. The acquisition of George Hill

On December 7, 2018, the Bucks stood 16-7 and were going into a nationally televised showdown with reigning NBA champions, the Golden State Warriors.

That game, which ended up being a 105-95 loss on the Bucks’ home floor, was not as significant as the trade they made some time before tip-off where they acquired George Hill from the Cleveland Cavaliers in exchange for Matthew Dellavedova, John Henson and future draft compensation (a 2022 protected first rounder, a 2021 second rounder) as part of a three-team deal.

With a wave of players that were set to hit free agency in the summer, the move opened up plenty of flexibility for the Bucks, even at the expense of their already limited draft warchest. But very few people envisioned Hill being a part of the loaded crop of players the Bucks sought to retain several months later.

From his arrival to Milwaukee, the journeyman guard gave the Bucks stability off the bench and set the tone for how they would operate defensively. In time, Hill’s brand of efficient offense followed suit as he rose up to be a critical contributor during the Bucks’ playoff run last year.

After signing a three-year, $29 million deal last summer to continue his time with the Bucks, Hill has built on that very production and influence into this 2019-20 season where he could viably be viewed as a Sixth Man of the Year candidate.

At this time, the Cavaliers can certainly find a capable contributor with the added picks from the Bucks. As for the former Bucks players, Dellavedova has been used as a limited reserve in his Cleveland homecoming and Henson is now on the Detroit Pistons after being included in the Andre Drummond deal at this year’s trade deadline.

But even as the transaction remains incomplete in totality, Hill has been exactly what the Bucks needed as a backup floor general and stands as a move that’s been consistent with what Horst has sought to do to improve the Bucks’ roster throughout his tenure.

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