Complete grades for all 30 teams in the 2019 NBA Draft

Milwaukee Bucks

The Milwaukee Bucks appeared all set to make a selection — slotted at 30th overall — in the 2019 NBA Draft. This was, until, a trade opportunity presented itself — one the organization couldn’t pass up as it heads into an important free agency period.

Along with guard Tony Snell, the Bucks traded their No. 30 pick to the Detroit Pistons in exchange for forward Jon Leuer. While this deal may pale in comparison to some of the blockbusters that have transpired over the recent days, it will have great ramification come June 30.

Milwaukee has three key starters set to hit the open market in Khris Middleton, Brook Lopez and restricted free agent Malcolm Brogdon. The trade with Detroit saves them roughly $4 million in extra cap space. This amount may seem insignificant, but each player is likely to command a hefty sum on the market and any dollar amount the Bucks can save is necessary.

Coming off a season in which they won a league-best 60 games with an appearance in the Eastern Conference Finals, the Bucks would like to keep that same core intact. This is especially important when considering the upcoming free agency of superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo in 2021, who the front office would like to keep happy with a competitive roster surrounding him.

With this deal, the Bucks put themselves one small step closer towards making that dream a reality. All they had to do was part with a slightly used perimeter option and a pick who likely would’ve made little contributions on a team with Finals aspirations

Grade: A