Grading Bleacher Report's captivating Milwaukee Bucks' mock trade for Marcus Smart

On Monday, Bleacher Report put out an article suggesting "1 trade every NBA In-Season Tournament quarterfinalist wishes it could make right now." The Milwaukee Bucks defeated the New York Knicks on Tuesday night and made it to the semi-finals against the Indiana Pacers but ultimately fell to the Wisconsin native Tyrese Haliburton's team and rendered their trip to Las Vegas short.

The Milwaukee Bucks are now off until Monday night when they have a chance at home to avenge their previous loss, an overtime defeat at the hands of the Chicago Bulls. In the meantime, trade rumors and wishes are swirling on how to "fix" the Milwaukee Bucks.

Bleacher Report's suggestion for the Milwaukee Bucks is to trade for Marcus Smart and send a large package headlined by Bobby Portis back to the Memphis Grizzlies.

I will give this credit to Bleacher Report; this trade suggestion is better than the last one I graded, where the author suggested the Bucks give up a member of their big three, their young potential filled second-year player, a salary filler and a first round pick for Zach Lavine.

This trade however, suggests that the Milwaukee Bucks essentially empty their bench in exchange for a recent Defensive Player of the Year in Marcus Smart.

The author remarks on Jrue Holiday ending up in Boston after the Bucks traded him to Portland in the Damian Lillard deal and that the Bucks could counter by adding former Boston Celtic Marcus Smart, creating "chaos" in the process.

Grading B/R's mock trade for Marcus Smart: The trade

The trade does work in a trade machine and by doing this package of players the Milwaukee Bucks would save just under $5 million on the salary cap. There are several implications for both teams that will lead to what grade this trade receives. Let's look first from the Memphis Grizzlies perspective.