Milwaukee Bucks: Grades and reactions from Jrue Holiday trade

In a surprising blockbuster move, the Milwaukee Bucks traded for New Orleans Pelicans guard Jrue Holiday on Monday night. How does the move grade out?

Milwaukee Bucks’ general manager Jon Horst said on Monday that he was looking to take some “big swings” this offseason, and he may have hit a home run.

A move that appeared out of thin air, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski broke the news that the Bucks have acquired guard Jrue Holiday from the New Orleans Pelicans:

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"“New Orleans is nearing completion of a deal to send G Jrue Holiday to Milwaukee for Eric Bledsoe, George Hill and what’s described as “significant” draft compensation, sources tell ESPN. Teams are still working through the picks in trade.”"

There is no shortage of moving parts in this trade, and the current consensus is a mixed bag among fans. As the NBA fandom gets to digest this trade in the coming days, here is an overall grading of the trade from our perspective.

Milwaukee Bucks: Grades and reactions from Jrue Holiday trade – What the Bucks traded for

On a day where we saw Chris Paul go to the Phoenix Suns, the Bucks landed quite a big fish themselves on the trade market this offseason in Holiday.

Set to make $25 million next season and potentially opt out of his $26 million player option for the 2021-22 season, the Bucks took plenty of risk here with the draft compensation involved, but it could prove to be the perfect gamble of a lifetime.

For years now, teams have been trying to pry Holiday away from the Pelicans, and it is clear to see why. First and foremost, the 30-year-old is a tenacious, All-Defensive-caliber defender, and one of the very best at the guard position league-wide. With two All-Defensive honors under his belt, Holiday has the hardware to show for it as well.

Offensively, Holiday’s pristine playmaking capabilities are just what the Bucks needed. Averaging 6.7 assists per game last season, Holiday is the secondary playmaker that Milwaukee needs to alleviate pressure off of their All-Star tandem of Antetokounmpo and Khris Middleton. Now the Bucks have a reliable option they can defer to when necessary and even when both Antetokounmpo and Middleton are off the floor.

While his playmaking will unquestionably be a boost for the Bucks, his floor spacing could arguably be just as notable. Heaving 5.7 attempts from 3-point range per game this past season, Holiday finished the season shooting 35.3 percent. That number might not jump off the page at first glance, but it is surely a welcoming sight compared to what the team has dealt with these past three seasons at the position.

As exciting as it is to get an All-Star caliber guard on the roster, Holiday did not come cheap for the Bucks.

Milwaukee Bucks: Grades and reactions from Jrue Holiday trade – What the Bucks gave up

Starting with the players, the Bucks gave up Eric Bledsoe and George Hill in the trade for Jrue Holiday.

After spending three seasons with the Bucks, it was clear to see that Bledsoe was likely not going to be coming back for a fourth. The veteran guard’s postseason shortcomings have made him a liability when the team needs him most, and the third strike was indeed his last. Fans can rejoice with his $54 million owed over the next three seasons off the books, although only $38.9 million of it came guaranteed.

Nevertheless, the Bucks get a surefire upgrade in the backcourt in Holiday, and Bledsoe gets a much needed fresh start elsewhere.

The other player Milwaukee coughed up in the deal was Hill, the team’s sixth man this season. Hill will be missed as his presence off the bench played a substantial part in the team’s success this season, leading the league in 3-point percentage at 46.0 percent. However, his $9 million salary for next season and partially guaranteed money for 2021-22 made him a worthwhile sacrifice in the trade for Holiday.

Aside from two of their guards, the Bucks gave up a king’s ransom worth of draft capital.

As Marks noted, Milwaukee sent over three-first round picks for the guard, in addition to two more pick swaps. In return, the Bucks are receiving the 42nd and 60th picks in Wednesday’s draft as first reported by The Athletic’s Eric Nehm.

That herculean haul comes with its questions, but was pulling the trigger on such a move a direction that the Bucks needed to take?

Milwaukee Bucks: Grades and reactions from Jrue Holiday trade – Overall trade grade

The Bucks gave up a monstrous amount of assets to land Jrue Holiday, and there is no other way to put it. They might have compromised their future in the process, but on the other hand, they very well could have just saved it.

There might not be a better way to put it than how The New York Times’ Marc Stein did last night:

"“The last two weeks have been filled with chatter that Giannis Antetokounmpo indeed plans to sign his five-year supermax with the Bucks before the Dec. 21 deadline to do so … The Bucks just made a trade that suggests they must believe it.”"

Some will rightfully look at the hefty amount of compensation that Milwaukee sent to New Orleans and remain skeptical, but this is clearly an all-in move for the Bucks. All of that chatter this offseason has centered around how the front office has not done enough to give Giannis a championship-caliber supporting cast and how he should take his talents elsewhere. Well, they just gave him a former All-Star, two-time All-Defensive winning guard that checks off the team’s most prominent needs.

The Bucks get a surefire upgrade over Bledsoe in the backcourt and a perfect running mate to complete an All-Star trio of Giannis Antetokounmpo, Khris Middleton, and Jrue Holiday. Yes, the overwhelming amount of draft picks is nerve-wracking, but if Giannis ultimately decides to put pen to paper this offseason, this trade will be far easier to digest.

Verdict: B (For now)

Stay tuned here at Behind the Buck Pass for more updates in the coming days as trade season heats up.