As soon as trade rumors start swirling every year, the Milwaukee Bucks are reminded of the fact that they traded away so much to get Jae Crowder. Dealing away a whopping five second-round picks to get the forward and to shed three players, the Bucks operated like Crowder was their needle-tipping move to make them title favorites. It backfired immediately.
Bucks' asset treasure chest is running low as rumors begin
Five second-round picks could go a long way for the Bucks right now. It's clear that this team could use a trade, but all they have for second-round capital right now is a top-55 protected pick coming this summer. That won't fetch many eyes on the trade market. The Bucks do have at least one first-rounder they could trade, but it has to be for an absolute needle-tipper, given how valuable it is.
If the Bucks do end up making a trade, their limited asset stash makes it seem like they will either go for a big piece or get finessed. Per HoopsHype's Michael Scotto, two names linked to Milwaukee in recent times are Zach LaVine and Anfernee Simons. Neither player is worth a first-rounder, and that top-55 second-round pick likely isn't getting the job done. It's a tough spot to be in.
To be crystal clear, the Jae Crowder trade made plenty of sense when it went down. Even if many said five second-rounders were too steep of a price, the forward was exactly what this team needed. After losing P.J. Tucker post-championship, the Bucks searched far and wide for a tough, versatile piece on the defensive end, and Jae Crowder felt like the perfect choice.
Unfortunately, Crowder was a dud. His shooting and defense, two trademarks of his lengthy career, never took shape in Milwaukee. He was supposed to be their ultimate playoff weapon, but in a pair of trips to the postseason, he averaged just 10.4 minutes per game. After that, the forward had a quick cup of coffee in Sacramento but appears to be heading toward retirement, still unsigned.
Until the Milwaukee Bucks replenish their draft capital, the ripple effects of this trade will continue to haunt the team. Outside of his brutal draft track record, this trade is one of the biggest blemishes on the resume of Jon Horst, Milwaukee's award-winning general manager. He could lessen the pain of this trade by making a great one this season.
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