You don't hear much about the Warriors and Bucks as trade partners, but with the Bucks wanting to play Let's Make a Deal it might be worth considering. From Gery Woelfel [The Woelfel World of Sports - The Journal Times]:
So, who will the Bucks try to acquire before the Feb. 21 deadline? That's the $64,000 question. It's no secret, though, the Bucks would like to acquire an athletic small forward like Golden State's Mickael Pietrus, who not only has a small contract ($3.47M) but a willingness to play defense.
The Bucks, who are apparently open to dealing Charlie Villanueva, Bobby Simmons, Charlie Bell or Dan Gadzuric, will have a plethora of options besides Pietrus. That's because seldom, if ever, has there been so many quality players available before the in-season deadline.
Make the jump for a few thoughts.
Let's take a look at the Bucks reportedly on the block:
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Charlie Villanueva- Now here's an intriguing guy for the Warriors. After his rookie year in Toronto Villanueva proclaimed Chris Bosh and himself as the next David Robinson and Tim Duncan pairing. That didn't exactly go according to plan, but Villanueva is a talented player who is still young enough at 23 to have some substantial upside. Right now he seems like a poor man's Al Harrington, but I'd be curious to see how he'd do under Nellie. He has good size and athleticism. Plus he's on his rookie contract for the rest of this season and next with a qualifying offer in 2009/2010. Low risk, potentially high reward.
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Bobby Simmons- There's no way the Warriors take on his Dunleavy-like contract. It would probably take Michael Redd and Yi Jianlian for them to even consider it.
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Charlie Bell- Bell seems like a decent enough player (although his shot has been awful this season) and a reasonably good defender, but the Bucks have him locked up till 2011/2012 at about $3.5 million a season. That's a fairly ridiculous commitment to a guy who's giving you the equivalent production of a D-League balla you could get on 10-day and year-to-year contracts.
- Dan Gadzuric- How would you like to add a player that is currently averaging 3.0 ppg and 2.7 rpb to your payroll at nearly 21 million after this season for 3 more years? Didn't think so.
No wonder the Bucks are looking to blow things up. They couldn't give away Simmons, Bell, or Gadzuric. If they played in a bigger market you'd be reading daily "What the Buck?" articles.
FREE YI! Part of me still cringes every time I see our man Yi Jianlian sporting Xmas colors all throughout the hoops season in the midwest. Maybe the Bucks will have a brain lapse before this year's trading deadline and let The Movement come to the Bay. This will NEVER happen, but let's dream for a second:
I know what you're thinking: "Yi-sy on the trade machine!"
Are the Bucks a good trading partner for the Warriors? Are there any good trades you can put together that make sense for both teams?
99% of rumors never happen, but 99% of them are fun to talk about.
For more on the Bucks check out Brew Hoop and their recent Q&A with us.
Related:
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- Mickael Pietrus Becomes Tradeable on January 1st
- Pietrus no longer "White Hot"
- Rumor: Pietrus wants to play in Miami
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- Rumor: Pietrus May Sign a 1 year, $3.4 mil deal with Warriors
- Rumor: Toronto Raptors Saving Midlevel Exception for Mickael Pietrus
- Rumor: Jason Kidd for Jason Richardson, Mickael Pietrus, Monta Ellis and Patrick O'Bryant
- Rumor: Nellie Wants Another Trade + Mickael Pietrus on the Trading Block
- Rumor: Mickael Pietrus Most Likely Warrior to Be Dealt Today
- Rumor: Jason Richardson, Baron Davis, and Mickael Pietrus All on the Trading Block
- Rumor: Warriors Likely to Deal Richardson, Ellis, or Pietrus and O'Bryant