Milwaukee Bucks: 5 reasons the Eric Bledsoe trade was a win

5. Milwaukee didn’t give up any of its young core

Going into the 2016 NBA Draft, the Milwaukee Bucks had serious questions at point guard and center. With Giannis Antetokounmpo, Khris Middleton and Jabari Parker they looked set at the 2-4 positions, but either end still held major question marks.

Over a year later, it has become clear that to some extent the Bucks addressed both positions in that draft. Their lottery pick, Thon Maker, has started at center for Milwaukee since late last season (until the last three games) and shown potential as a two-way stretch-5. At point guard, second round pick Malcolm Brogdon won Rookie of the Year.

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Both Brogdon and Maker were rumored to be part of trade discussions, but it is becoming clear that Milwaukee never put either on the table. Their ability to retain each of their five best pieces and still add a fringe All-Star in his prime is nothing short of spectacular.

It should be noted that Greg Monroe has been a valuable piece for the Bucks after a rocky first season in Milwaukee. Last year he was the offensive engine for bench units, especially after Parker went down for the season. As noted by ESPN‘s Kevin Pelton, Monroe’s impact on the court compared to off was the highest on the entire team last season.

But Greg Monroe will be a free agent this summer, and with Maker continuing to develop and Antetokounmpo’s ability to play the 5 at times, the team wasn’t going to invest significant resources in retaining Monroe. Instead they kept the young pieces who will be a part of this Bucks core for years to come.