Many of you probably missed the four-team trade involving seven players and draft picks with all the commotion and reaction over the James Harden-Ben Simmons blockbuster. According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, the Kings, Bucks, Clippers, and Pistons have agreed to the following trade:
Kings get Donte DiVincenzo, Trey Lyles, and Josh Jackson.
Bucks get Serge Ibaka and two future second-round picks, cash.
Clippers get Rodney Hood and Semi Ojele.
Pistons get Marvin Bagley Jr.
This trade was actually announced before the main event of the day, but once Harden and Simmons became official, everything else in the NBA took a backseat. At first glance, Ibaka to the Bucks feels like a significant addition for Milwaukee. It’s going to be a freaking nightmare attempting to score inside against the Bucks with Ibaka and Giannis Antetokounmpo down low. Then you Jrue Holiday defending on the perimeter. This is a huge pick-up for Milwaukee heading into the second half of the year.
The Kings are apparently in fire sale mode. Everybody must go. Sacramento trading Marvin Bagley III wasn’t a surprise. Marvin and his family have been telling the world he wanted out of Sacramento for a couple of years. Well, they got what they asked for. He’ll go from one cellar dweller to another. But it is a new beginning for Bagley as he teams up with 2021 No. 1 overall pick Cade Cunningham. Hopefully, Bagley can take full advantage of the opportunity presented to him with this trade. Sacramento received a few young role players in DiVincenzo, Lyles, and Jackson. But knowing the Kings, they probably won’t be around long.
For the Clippers, this gets them out of the two-year nearly $19 million they owe Ibaka and brings a veteran in Hood and some youth in Ojeleye. I know this movie doesn’t exactly move the meter, but without Kawhi Leonard and Paul George, this season was a wash either way. LA cleared up some cap room and can look toward bouncing back next season.
Milwaukee is the only real contender of the four teams involved in this transaction. The Clippers have zero stars playing right now, and the other two are what they are. I can’t wait to see what this Bucks team will look like defensively once Ibaka is inserted into the lineup. We’ll see if this trade can similarly catapult the Bucks the way Jrue Holiday did last season.
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