NBA Trade Grades: Nuggets Get Roy Hibbert From Bucks

Jan 10, 2017; Houston, TX, USA; Charlotte Hornets center Roy Hibbert (55, right) and Charlotte Hornets forward Marvin Williams (2) speak during a timeout against the Houston Rockets during the first quarter at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Erik Williams-USA TODAY Sports /

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Oct 26, 2016; Milwaukee, WI, USA; Charlotte Hornets center Roy Hibbert (55) blocks the shot of Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) during the second quarter at BMO Harris Bradley Center. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports /

Milwaukee Bucks

For the Bucks, this deal was not about any potential return. A 2019 second round pick that’s protected for all but the last five picks in the draft is obviously a joke of a return, even if it did convey two years from now.

No, the real reason behind this trade was to get Roy Hibbert’s deal off the books. This may seem curious since he’s an expiring contract and will hit free agency this summer anyway, but by sending him to Denver, Milwaukee gains a nice trade exception:

Bucks will get a $5.0M trade exception in its trade of Roy Hibbert, keeping them above salary cap (and allowing them to retain other TPEs).
— Albert Nahmad (@AlbertNahmad) February 23, 2017

In addition to the $1.4 million saved by moving his salary, that $5 million trade exception will allow them to keep their other Traded Player Exceptions as well — $1.2 million for Miles Plumlee, $1.7 million for Tyler Ennis and $815,199 for Michael Carter-Williams.

It’s clearly a lopsided deal, but Hibbert didn’t play a single minute for the Bucks anyway. Milwaukee managed to dump some salary and will probably never see that second round pick, but that’s not the end of the world.

Grade: C+

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