Grade the trade: Bucks land notorious ball hawk in mock deal with Golden State

The verdict

For this writer, Bleacher Report's trade has more appeal for the Warriors, who gain a reliable veteran. For the Bucks, it's a risky proposition that weakens their current roster for an uncertain future. They'd be better served to explore other options that address their needs without sacrificing a key contributor.

Given their limited draft capital, the Bucks might be better served by giving additional playing time to young players like AJ Green, Andre Jackson Jr., MarJon Beauchamp and even Chris Livingston to see if they can develop into consistent contributors.

Considering the Warriors are the farthest away from win-now mode than they've ever been in the Stephen Curry era, it does seem as though the winds are pushing them towards rebuilding and prioritizing the future - even if they still have Curry in tow.

The West is simply too stacked as it stands, and the moment may have already passed them by. Though this writer doesn't believe that Payton and Moody are going to be vital to their future, Portis is also likely not carrying them to the promised land any time soon, even if he does somewhat solve their size issues.

Overall, this trade is a risky proposition for both teams. The Bucks sacrifice a key contributor for unproven potential and future flexibility. The Warriors gamble on Payton's health while losing a potentially valuable young player. There might be better options for both teams to explore.