The P.J. Tucker trade
Earlier this week, the Milwaukee Bucks made a trade for Houston’s P.J. Tucker. They sent DJ Augustin and DJ Wilson in return for Tucker and a filler. They also had some pick swapping there that eventually made it worth the Rockets’ time.
What does this mean for the Bucks? After all, Tucker is 35 and looked a little old on the court before agreeing to sit until the team found a trade for him. What Milwaukee and the other contenders were betting on in a trade was that he was more disinterested than he was lagging. And that should be a decent assumption.
If they’re getting last year’s P.J. Tucker, they’re getting a small ball 4/5 that hit 36 percent of his 3’s and defended like hell. Theoretically, Tucker can still guard positions 3-5. He shouldn’t be stuck on star players, but the Bucks do not need that with the reigning DPOY and Holiday Roooooooad on the roster.
What they need him to do is hit his corner 3’s when he is open and allow the Bucks to run a full switch-heavy scheme in the playoffs. That, he can do. And he raises the team’s floor and ceiling simultaneously by being able to do that.