Ranking the Bucks’ trade deadline deals in the Mike Budenholzer era
By Dalton Sell
The 2023 NBA Trade Deadline is just days away, and the Milwaukee Bucks are bound to be active.
Making moves at the trade deadline is nothing new for the Bucks, who have made a move at three of the last four deadlines. General Manager Jon Horst has always done his part to find new players in an attempt to strengthen Milwaukee’s roster in the Mike Budenholzer era. While not all of these trades have been perfect, some have certainly panned out better than others. With all of that said, let us break down Milwaukee’s trade deadline moves in recent memory and rank them.
Ranking the Bucks’ trade deadline deals in the Mike Budenholzer era – Honorable Mention: The Torrey Craig trade
The Bucks signed Torrey Craig in the 2020 offseason, and things never quite worked out as many had hoped. The veteran suffered a fractured nose and missed significant time. Upon returning, he was unable to crack Mike Budenholzer’s rotation and spent a lot of time as a spectator. Ultimately, the Bucks traded Craig to the Phoenix Suns on March 18, 2021, for cash considerations.
The Craig trade was frustrating at first because it was clear he could have helped if given a shot at some legitimate minutes. Of course, the trade the Bucks made soon after this one unquestionably helped lessen the blow of losing a versatile defensive-minded veteran. The Craig experiment was simply a confusing one that ultimately may have helped out both teams. Milwaukee freed up one vacant roster spot while Phoenix got an impact player to help them make a run to the NBA Finals, where they met none other than the Bucks.