Milwaukee Bucks: Grades and reactions for the P.J. Tucker trade — The final grade
On paper, it is easy to feel optimistic about this move as a Bucks fan. Tucker is someone the team had been targeting for months prior, and it is assuring to see Horst address one of the team’s biggest needs with an aggressive mindset.
While Tucker’s production on offense could certainly be an issue, his defense will undoubtedly help Milwaukee become a more formidable unit. Lineups with the forward along Jrue Holiday, Donte DiVincenzo, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Khris Middleton have the potential to be burdensome for opposing offenses.
The Bucks were able to shed a bad contract in Augustin and a player out of the rotation in Wilson for Tucker while playing around with their draft capital to get the deal done. It appears to be a great move from Horst, and it goes far beyond just bringing Tucker into the fold.
This was a cost-cutting move and the Bucks are now below the luxury tax.
— Yossi Gozlan (@YossiGozlan) March 17, 2021
By getting off Craig, as well as decreasing salary in the PJ Tucker trade, the Bucks go from just $441,539 below the hard cap to $1.25M below the luxury tax and $3.53 below the apron. https://t.co/SXsttwQKED
The Bucks now have more room to operate on the buyout market to fill out their roster, and it appears that they might already be busy. The Athletic’s Jon Krawczynski reported shortly after the Tucker trade that Milwaukee’s next move could be signing veteran point guard Isaiah Thomas off the free agent market. Considering the Bucks just traded away their backup point guard in Augustin, it would make sense to bring in an established veteran like Thomas. However, this newfound financial flexibility opens a pathway to multiple options beyond just him, and time will tell how the front office plans to utilize it.
In the grand scheme of things, this is an immediately impactful move for the Milwaukee Bucks the goes beyond just acquiring a player, and Horst has impressed once again.