Even in failure, Jon Horst still finds a way to improve the Milwaukee Bucks

If there is one thing about Jon Horst, the general manager of the Milwaukee Bucks, it is that he is aggressive when it comes to doing his job. Sometimes, he can even be a little too aggressive.

That was precisely the case when he agreed to a sign-and-trade deal with the Sacramento Kings for sharpshooting guard Bogdan Bogdanovic during the 2020 offseason. Just hours before, Horst successfully landed Jrue Holiday from the New Orleans Pelicans, and these two were set to be the new backcourt for the Bucks as they aimed to make a run at a championship. Until they weren’t, as the deal was called off because both front offices jumped the gun and agreed to the trade before it was legal. Bogdanovic also stated that he never agreed to the sign-and-trade. The Bucks would be stripped of a second-round pick for their involvement in the deal as a result.

At the time, it was a tough blow for the Bucks. Giannis Antetokounmpo was yet to sign his historic supermax extension when the deal went through, and it was well known that he was pushing for the team to acquire Bogdanovic, a close friend of his. Once the deal fell apart, Bogdanovic signed a contract with the Atlanta Hawks and ended any speculation about him playing for the Bucks in the 2020-21 NBA season. With Antetokounmpo on the fence about his future in Milwaukee, this was a bad look for Horst and the rest of the front office as they let one of the MVP’s preferred targets slip out of their grasp. The Bucks went from having their shooting guard of the future secured to a long-term deal and one step closer to making Antetokounmpo happy to possibly losing the trust of the superstar while being forced to give up a draft pick.

It was a very tough few weeks as a Bucks fan. However, despite how chaotic the entire scenario was, things seemingly worked out in the best way possible. Antetokounmpo signed the dotted line on the supermax extension before the season and led the Bucks to their first championship in over 50 years months later, putting Milwaukee back on top of the world. Horst failing to complete the trade for Bogdanovic should not be viewed as a stroke of genius because the Bucks won the title, but the failure to acquire him did open the door for the former Executive of the Year to make a big move during the 2021 offseason that is already paying massive dividends.

Jon Horst’s decision to trade for and extend Grayson Allen looks like one of his best moves yet as the general manager of the Milwaukee Bucks

With starting shooting guard Donte DiVincenzo suffering a season-ending ankle injury in the 2021 playoffs, it was clear that the champs would be without him to start the new campaign. Instead of standing pat and waiting for his return, Horst took the aggressive approach and made a trade with the Memphis Grizzlies for Grayson Allen to fill the void. On the surface, the deal looked solid from the beginning, with the Bucks giving up Sam Merrill and two future second-round picks. Merrill did not see much time during his rookie season, and the second-round picks would have a tough time carving out a role on a championship team regardless. For a starting-caliber piece like Allen, it was viewed as another great trade by Horst and the Milwaukee Bucks.

Yet, trading for Allen was not enough as the Bucks handed him a nice two-year extension worth $18.7 million before the season even began. It was viewed as a low-risk move with plenty of high upside for the champs, and it was particularly interesting that he got one but the Bucks opted not to extend DiVincenzo, who was also set to become a free agent after the season. Horst and the front office saw something in Allen from the beginning that they liked, and he has proved them right this season, having exceeded his early expectations.

The Bucks have primarily used Allen as an outside shooter, and he has embraced that role to the fullest, having made the third most triples in the entire league this season. Allen has been exactly what the Bucks needed in that shooting guard slot, playing the best basketball of his career in his new environment. Part of that has been how seamlessly he has fit in with his teammates, having established some early chemistry with Antetokounmpo while sparking the offense alongside guys like Holiday and Khris Middleton. Mike Budenholzer has given the guard the greenest of lights on the offensive end as well, which has been massive for Allen’s confidence.

Amidst Allen’s fantastic start to the season, fans have looked over to Bogdanovic and compared the two. Right now, it is no contest as to which player is having the better start. Over 18 games, Allen is averaging a career-high 15 points per game while shooting 45.3 percent from the field (11.2 attempts) and 42. p8ercent from 3-point range (8.1 attempts). Meanwhile, Bogdanovic has averaged 12 points while shooting 43.6 percent from the field (10.5 attempts) and 38 percent on 3-pointers (5.9 attempts). Sure, it is still early in the season, but Allen has been the better player early on in practically every facet aside from facilitating. Allen’s numbers in rebounds, blocks, and steals in these first 18 games are better than Bogdanovic’s, along with the scoring and shooting.

Another massive difference between the two is their salary. Allen is currently playing in the final year of his rookie deal, making $4 million in 2021-22, and he will make $8.5 million annually in the two seasons that follow. On the other hand, Bogdanovic will make $18 million annually between this season and the following two after signing a four-year deal worth $72 million with the Hawks during the 2020 offseason. From just a financial perspective, Allen has been an absolute steal for the Milwaukee Bucks, considering the production he has given them.

To be clear, none of this is to belittle Bogdanovic. Things worked out for both sides as he got a nice payday in free agency while the Bucks went on and won the championship later that season. This is about Horst’s ability to miss out on Bogdanovic and not just bring in another stellar two-guard, but to also secure them on an incredibly team-friendly deal before he plays a game for the team. Even when he loses, Horst finds a way to win. There is a reason why they handed him a lucrative extension following the championship run. The man has a keen eye for talent and has helped build this team to championship status.

The Bucks have had a carousel of starting two-guards over the past several years, with names such as Malcolm Brogdon, Wesley Matthews, DiVincenzo, and now Allen all taking the mantle in the past four seasons. It has been a tough spot for them to maintain, but it looks like they might have found their long-term answer at the position in Allen. Hopefully he can keep his foot on the gas and help the Bucks in their quest to repeat as NBA champions. As long as the guard keeps shooting the basketball like this, Allen should be in a Bucks uniform for a very long time.

Even looking past the Bogdanovic and Allen comparisons, the failed trade for the former opened the door for the Bucks to make a different trade midseason. That trade was for PJ Tucker, who is now an NBA champion forever after playing a pivotal role for the Bucks throughout their title run. Without his tenacious defense and toughness, who knows if this team pulls through. To get him, Horst traded away D.J. Augustin, D.J. Wilson, and shuffled around some draft capital. Augustin was a rare bad signing by Horst as the guard never found his footing after receiving a hefty contract for Milwaukee, but that would not matter as they managed to flip him. Wilson was initially included in the deal for Bogdanovic, so that botched trade helped them eventually land Tucker.

Horst simply gets the job done, and the Milwaukee Bucks should sleep soundly knowing that they have him up in the front office.