The Milwaukee Bucks gave up a massive haul to trade for Jrue Holiday in 2020, including the 19th overall pick in the 2025 draft that just turned into Nolan Traore. Giannis Antetokounmpo was putting pressure on the front office, so the Bucks made a massive swing for the talented guard. It resulted in winning the championship in 2021, but the Bucks flipped Holiday for Damian Lillard three years later in a move that is looking disastrous.
Holiday has not been the same player since leaving Milwaukee, but he played a key role in the Celtics’ 2024 championship. All Bucks fans have felt is pain since letting Holiday go. It hurt even more when the Blazers flipped him to Boston.
The Bucks desperately need talent around Giannis and this pick walking out the door is just another gut-punch. They still owe a first-round pick swap in 2026 and their 2027 first unprotected to the Pelicans from this trade. This and the draft capital owed from the Lillard trade prevent Milwaukee from tanking. There is certainly more pain to come from this trade.
Bucks give up 2025 pick to finalize another piece of acquiring Jrue Holiday in 2020
This trade for Jrue Holiday seems like it happened a lifetime ago. The Bucks have won just one playoff series since their championship and have made several changes to their roster. Here are the current full details of this deal with the players selected filled in for the draft capital that was traded back in 2020.
- Bucks acquire: Jrue Holiday, Sam Merrill, AJ Johnson
- Pelicans acquire: Steven Adams, Eric Bledsoe, Yves Missi, Nolan Traore, 2027 1st round pick (via Bucks), 2026 first-round pick swap
- Thunder acquire: George Hill, Darius Miller, Kenrich Williams, Zylan Cheatham, Nick Smith Jr., Hunter Tyson, Tyler Kolek
- Nuggets acquire: R.J. Hampton
The Pelicans did not end up with Nolan Traore. They traded the draft pick to Portland in 2022, and the Bucks' selection was dealt three more times before ending up with the Nets.
Yves Missi and Kenrich Williams are the only players who still play on the teams they were traded to in this deal.
The Bucks have zero regrets. This trade helped them win a championship. They would love to have their draft capital, but Milwaukee’s front office would have traded it in another deal if they didn’t make this one. None of the picks have turned into stars, but it was a massive haul that continues to cost the Bucks.
The Milwaukee Bucks face another crossroads this offseason. Can they keep Giannis happy and build a title contender around him? Jon Horst and company have passed every other test, but things are more difficult now. The Bucks lack the needed assets to make another blockbuster trade. It makes this pick hurt even more, but Antetokounmpo has not requested a trade yet.
Hopefully, the Bucks can sell him on a retooling year and a return to contention in 2027. If not, things could get ugly in Milwaukee, which will make their trade for Jrue Holiday look worse. All fans can do is hope it never comes to that.