Grade the trade: Milwaukee Bucks land lockdown defender in mock deal with Portland

Grade the trade for Matisse Thybulle: Conclusion

This writer would give the trade a B for the Bucks. They address a major need in defense without giving up major assets. However, they lose some depth and scoring, and Thybulle's offensive limitations could hurt them.

On the other hand, it will have to be a B- for the Portland Trail Blazers solely because there are likely better offers out there for a player of Thybulle’s calibre. Younger teams like the Indiana Pacers are also in need of perimeter stoppers while being more resource-rich. Assuming there are other offers on the table, I would have to imagine Portland’s main interest is forwarding their rebuild around Scoot Henderson, and Pat Connaughton and Cam Payne — who aren’t the most tradeable players on their own — would probably do little to advance this.

This is a fairly even trade with benefits and drawbacks for both teams. The Bucks get a defensive upgrade while the Blazers acquire draft picks and flexibility. The success of the trade will ultimately depend on how well each team uses their new players, and how quickly those new pieces can acclimatize to their new environments.

BTBP Grade: B

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