Milwaukee Bucks: Analyzing Roy Hibbert Trade
Roy Hibbert, who was an All-Star three years ago, will wear his third different jersey in the month of February after the Milwaukee Bucks traded him Thursday.
Roy Hibbert has a new home, again. The Milwaukee Bucks have moved Hibbert for a second time this month. The Bucks traded Hibbert to the Denver Nuggets in exchange for a second-round pick.
A protected second-round pick.
A “heavily protected” second-round pick.
Denver will send a heavily protected second-round pick to the Bucks for Hibbert, league sources tell @TheVertical.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) February 23, 2017
Chris Dempsey has reported that the pick is top 55 protected, while C.F. Gardner has announced the pick is for the 2019 draft.
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As disrespectful as the trade may seem, it was mostly about a salary dump for the Milwaukee Bucks. It was a salary dump of a salary dump. The former All-Star hadn’t appeared in a game for Milwaukee since they acquired him from Charlotte earlier this month.
He was only averaging 5.2 points and 3.6 rebounds per game this season, all with the Hornets.
Roy Hibbert, now on the wrong side of 30, has experienced a fast and steady decline the last three years. Fans probably best know Hibbert for his fantastic defense in the 2013 Eastern Conference finals against LeBron James and the Miami Heat.
He’s also partially responsible for the notoriety and implementation of the rule of verticality. It is something that Hibbert perfected during his glory years with the Pacers.
Trading Roy Hibbert will not bring back any major returns for the Milwaukee Bucks. I doubt that they will ever even see the draft pick from the Nuggets. However, it does open up a roster spot for Milwaukee. What they intend to do with that roster spot is intriguing.
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NBA teams will usually waive a number of players after the deadline trades are completed. One player who is already being rumored to be released is Andrew Bogut. Bucks fans have been enamored with a Bogut reunion all season.
I do not think that a reunion is very likely as Bogut will have a number of contenders looking to sign him. I find it very difficult to imagine a world where Bogut picks the Bucks over a chance to win a championship with a team like the Cavaliers or Spurs.
Another “interesting” name I saw mentioned on Twitter is a Steve Novak reunion. The Bucks released Novak earlier this month after they traded for Hibbert and Spencer Hawes.
While Novak would be a snoozer of a move for the Bucks it would be another veteran who has positive relationships with the current players in the locker room.
The Bucks roster has been very imbalanced all season. Even after trading Roy Hibbert they still have twice as many centers as they do point guards.
Next: 2017 NBA Trade Deadline: Grades For All 30 Teams
This move could simply be the Bucks opening up a spot to help bring in some guard relief. Whatever it means, there is at least one more Bucks move to be made. Stay tuned!