11-18-2020, 06:33 PM
[b]What the Bogdan bogdown means[/b]
With today’s report from our Sam Amick that the Kings-Bucks sign-and-trade to send Bogdan Bogdanovic to Milwaukee is further from the finish line than we’d been led to believe, it brings up the question of how the Bucks can proceed if this trade falls through.
Aside from the awkward “welcome back Donte, Ersan and D.J.!” party, the biggest issue for Milwaukee is Ilyasova’s contract. They were going to guarantee his $7 million deal for the coming season to put him in the sign-and-trade, but only have until Friday to make this decision. If the Bucks waive him instead – a rational decision at his current level of play – it would be hard to piece this deal back together.
However, the Bucks’ ace in the hole in a sign-and-trade for Bogdanovic – or any other player of a similar salary, for that matter – is their five unrestricted free agents. Sterling Brown, Pat Connaughton, Kyle Korver, Robin Lopez, Wes Matthews and all are free, and none are likely to get overwhelming offers in the opening hours of free agency. Milwaukee could sign-and-trade any of them for a salary in the $5 million range, on a required three-year deal that only needs to be guaranteed for the first season.
Finally, I noted below that the Bucks acquired a second-round pick in part to deal with the hard cap arising from a Bogdanovic sign-and-trade. The fact they still went ahead with this is a tell that they’re likely hopeful to either put this deal back together or construct a similar one.
Hollinger
With today’s report from our Sam Amick that the Kings-Bucks sign-and-trade to send Bogdan Bogdanovic to Milwaukee is further from the finish line than we’d been led to believe, it brings up the question of how the Bucks can proceed if this trade falls through.
Aside from the awkward “welcome back Donte, Ersan and D.J.!” party, the biggest issue for Milwaukee is Ilyasova’s contract. They were going to guarantee his $7 million deal for the coming season to put him in the sign-and-trade, but only have until Friday to make this decision. If the Bucks waive him instead – a rational decision at his current level of play – it would be hard to piece this deal back together.
However, the Bucks’ ace in the hole in a sign-and-trade for Bogdanovic – or any other player of a similar salary, for that matter – is their five unrestricted free agents. Sterling Brown, Pat Connaughton, Kyle Korver, Robin Lopez, Wes Matthews and all are free, and none are likely to get overwhelming offers in the opening hours of free agency. Milwaukee could sign-and-trade any of them for a salary in the $5 million range, on a required three-year deal that only needs to be guaranteed for the first season.
Finally, I noted below that the Bucks acquired a second-round pick in part to deal with the hard cap arising from a Bogdanovic sign-and-trade. The fact they still went ahead with this is a tell that they’re likely hopeful to either put this deal back together or construct a similar one.
Hollinger