Giannis Antetokounmpo's future in Milwaukee has been the biggest stronghold in the NBA, with multiple teams holding out on spending their assets in the hopes that Giannis declines the supermax contract extension this summer.
But the only reason we are here in the first place is the fault of the Milwaukee Bucks management. There is no denying that the Bucks have been one of the most dominant regular season teams in the league over the past two years, but there is also no denying that they have grossly underperformed in the playoffs. The first time they folded against the Toronto Raptors in the 2019 ECF, many just chalked it up to a lack of experience and maturity. However, when the Bucks choked once again against the Miami Heat in the 2020 ECSF, the Bucks management faced serious criticism and the speculation about Giannis leaving started to catch fire. This month Giannis went on record to say " if they make the correct moves, I will be here for a long time. If they don't, we'll see." This in addition to Giannis's decision regarding his contract looming over their heads, the Bucks management were put under immense pressure to prove to Antetokounmpo that they were capable of building a championship caliber roster around him in Milwaukee. Which eventually led them overhauling a majority of their supporting cast.
Monday evening, news broke stating that the Milwaukee bucks had acquired New Orleans Pelicans guard Jrue holiday in exchange for Eric Bledsoe, George Hill, three first-round draft picks and two first-round pick swaps. The consensus first reaction to this trade was that the Bucks severely overpaid for the services of Jrue Holiday. The Pelicans received only a slightly better package for Anthony Davis! But when you look at context surrounding the situation, the trade becomes much more defensible for the Bucks.
The Bucks were running out of options to make a significant move. Just yesterday evening, one of the Bucks prime targets, Chris Paul, was traded to Phoenix. This most likely caused the Bucks to panic and act impulsively. Also, Giannis's contract extension deadline is less than a month away and this move allows the Bucks to ensure Giannis that they will make the necessary moves to help him achieve his goals. But this move is a gamble for the Bucks, if they didn't make this move, Giannis would have most likely denied the extension. There is still no guarantee that he does sign it, but if he does this trade will be a bargain for the Bucks.
From the Pelicans perspective, they just hit the jackpot. Jrue Holiday clearly didn't fit their timeline due to his advanced age and to receive such a stacked offer for a fringe All-Star player like Holiday is a huge win for the organization. This allows the Pelicans to shift their focus to building out their roster around their two young stars, Brandon Ingram and Zion Williamson, with a plethora of assets in their back pocket. Another important component of this trade is how far the picks go out. The Bucks picks that the Pelicans received are quite far down the line, with the last pick conveying in 2027. This is important because if Giannis is to leave, those picks could become a really valuable trade piece for the organization.
In other news, the Bucks weren't just satisfied with Jrue Holiday. They also have reportedly for Kings Serbian guard Bogdan Bogdanovic in exchange for Donte Divincenzo, Ersan Ilyasova and DJ Wilson. Once again making their case to persuade Giannis to sign the supermax extension.
From a pure on-court perspective, these trades definitely make the Bucks a better team.
Holiday, 30, was an NBA All-Defensive first-team selection in 2017-18 and a second-team selection in 2018-19.Holiday also has a reputation around the league as being one of the best defenders and one of the best two-way guards. He averaged 19.1 points and 6.7 assists last season. He was famously called the best defender in the league by superstars Damian Lillard and Kevin Durant. Jrue also provides the Bucks with some much needed perimeter shot-creation and perimeter shooting.
Bogdanovic, 28, is a versatile offensive wing who is a volume 3-point shooter and an effective playmaker. He shot 40.7% last year on on catch-and-shoot 3-pointers. He also is effective off the ball, a valuable skill alongside Antetokounmpo. Bogdanovic was excellent coming off the bench for the Sacramento Kings last season, averaging 15.1 points, 3.4 assists and 3.4 rebounds , but he will most likely start in Milwaukee. Bogdanovic also provides the Bucks with some size on the defensive end of the floor.
The combination of these trades undoubtedly solidifies the Bucks as a serious force heading into next season, a force that is more suited for playoff basketball. Next season will be legacy defining for Milwaukee Bucks organization, because they will either be crowned NBA champions or they will most likely watch Giannis Antetokounmpo walk in free agency, leaving them with no assets to recover from the catastrophic loss.
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