Bucks Complete Sign-and-Trade, Send Malcolm Brogdon to Pacers

The retention of Malcolm Brogdon was one of the hottest topics going into the Milwaukee Bucks’ offseason. Some fans thought that he was simply too talented to let walk, while others felt that his imperfect fit would lead to buyer’s remorse on a hefty contract. When the news came down that the Indiana Pacers were looking to sign Brogdon to a 4 year deal worth $85 million, everyone winced to see whether Milwaukee would match. As it turns out, they let Brogdon walk and were actually compensated for their loss.

With the trade officially processed by the league today, the Bucks are now without one of the most efficient guards in the league (yes, 50/40/90 is rare enough that we’ll never stop mentioning it) but find themselves slightly richer with draft capital. The first round pick is likely to convey next season (ESPN’s Zach Lowe reports that the pick has lottery protections through 2025!), and the second rounders are still unknown but will help a Milwaukee team that has liberally used second rounders to grease palms around the league.

Nobody will contend that the Bucks are actively made better by Brogdon’s departure. The picks are helpful (and may come in handy when another deal needs to be made in the near future), but without another starter in the fold (no, Wesley Matthews is not expected to be a major-minutes starter) the talent void is going to be difficult to overcome. It had been widely rumored that Brogdon’s offer sheet would be in the $18-20 million range; the Pacers’ offer came in with an AAV of $21.25M. Was that much truly enough for the Bucks to wash their hands of the former Rookie of the Year? Was the threat of the luxury tax truly so significant that Malcolm’s departure was the lesser evil? Are the mysterious medical red flags and his not-insignificant injury history more important than fans realize? We don’t know, and we may never know, but we do know that Malcolm Brogdon was a huge boost to the franchise, an exemplary member of the community, and he will be sorely missed.

Good luck in Indiana, Mr. President.