Update: The Journal-Sentinel confirms the deal will be for a 2012 second round pick.
It looks like there will be no shortage of slashing wings in Milwaukee this season--with or without John Salmons and Michael Redd. Just hours after the Bucks announced the acquisition of Corey Maggette, reports began to emerge that the Bucks were working on a follow-up deal to bring current Net and former Memphis swingman Chris Douglas-Roberts to Milwaukee.
As of now it appears the Bucks will not be giving up players or any of their four 2010 picks (Nos. 15, 37, 44, 47), meaning the Bucks will still have plenty of assets with which to keep wheeling and dealing between now and draft night. Good times! Chad Ford first reported on Tuesday night that the Bucks and Nets were discussing a deal that would send CDR to Milwaukee for a second round pick, just hours after the Bucks acquired a third second rounder in the Maggette trade. Yahoo's Adrian Wojnarowski then tweeted that the deal would include the 44th pick, but Woj later cited a team source that the Bucks would in fact not give up a 2010 pick and that the teams were instead working on sending a "future draft consideration" to New Jersey. Aside from their own, the Bucks also own Chicago's second round picks in each of the next two drafts, so they've got plenty of ammo to work with. The Bucks have a couple trade exceptions large enough to absorb CDR's salary, hence they don't need to send salary out.
It's your basic change-of-scenery move for CDR, who feuded with Kiki Vandeweghe in Jersey and has just one year and $854k left on his original rookie contract (this year is a team option). Though he's a skilled one-on-one player with good length and ambidextrous finishing ability, the fact that the Nets are willing to give him away for next to nothing is also indicative of his falling out of favor in New Jersey. Still, there's next to no risk for the Bucks and he adds more scoring depth to a team that obviously struggled in that department a year ago. Either he pans out and looks like a steal, or he doesn't get minutes and is gone by next summer at the latest.
CDR's arrival is a bit ironic given that more than a few fans grumbled about the Bucks' decision to take Luc Mbah a Moute ahead of him in the 2008 draft. Drafted 40th overall in 2008, the 23-year-old barely played as a rookie, but despite the Nets' struggles, he looked to be coming into his own early in 09/10, averaging 17 ppg in November and December. That included 31 points and 10 boards in the Nets' first visit to Milwaukee, part of a three game stretch in which he averaged 27.3 ppg and 8.7 rpg. But Lawrence Frank's departure as head coach triggered a drop off in CDR's minutes and role, and a frigid relationship with GM-turned-head-coach Vandeweghe saw his role decline in the New Year. And for all his natural talent, it should be noted that he's been a fairly low-efficiency scorer in his first two seasons and, like Maggette, he's not much of a three point shooter (14/54 a year ago). In other words, we're still talking about a "potential" guy more than anything. Then again, that's why the Bucks aren't giving up much to get him.
One guy who is excited about the trade? CDR himself. The Detroit native sounded rather giddy when he hinted at the move on his Twitter page. A guy excited to be traded to Milwaukee? Times they are a-changing...