Grading the Milwaukee Bucks' shocking NBA Trade Deadline deal for Patrick Beverley

What the Milwaukee Bucks traded away in the Patrick Beverley deal

It really doesn't seem the Bucks are giving a lot in exchange for Beverley, which is something that makes this trade feel a bit better. The 2027 second-round pick is a pretty cheap asset, so Cameron Payne is basically what Milwaukee is sending away. It's important that the Bucks kept their 2024 second-round pick over this one, as it is projected to have more value.

Payne has had good games, but he wasn't what the team needed in its backup point guard. He seemed to fit better when Jrue Holiday was on the roster, but when the Lillard trade happened, the backcourt lacked a defensive effort he just couldn't provide, making him probably the least essential player from the rotation.

Payne's performance has mostly relied on his shooting, where he's had his ups and downs. Shooting 39.7 percent from three, Malik Beasley and AJ Green are the only players on the team who were shooting better than him, but he was far from being the kind of player you would rely on when playoff time came. Maybe he wasn't even going to play most playoff games, so it doesn't feel the Bucks are losing that much.

Milwaukee says goodbye to Payne after a short stint. He got to the team as a free agent a few weeks before the regular season started and got traded after 47 games in the Bucks jersey. He averaged 6.2 points and 2.3 assists per game in these games.