NBA Trade 2018-19: Ranking the best moves of the trade deadline day

#2 Nikola Mirotic to the Milwaukee Bucks:

New Orleans Pelicans traded off a great role player,

signalling

a rebuild

The Milwaukee Bucks managed to get a deal done with the Detroit Pistons and the New Orleans Pelicans in a three team deal, making sure everyone gets what they want.

Detroit Pistons receive:

Thon Maker (F)

Milwaukee Bucks receive:

Nikola Mirotic (F)

New Orleans Pelicans receive:

Jason Smith (F), Stanley Johnson (F), 4 second round picks (via Detroit)

The Milwaukee Bucks landed Nikola Mirotic, a strong role-playing forward that can stretch the floor and shoot the 3, giving the Bucks exactly what they needed in making a strong playoff push.

The 6-foot-10 stretch power forward has battled injuries this season but he’s a perfect fit for Mike Budenholzer’s system in Milwaukee. Mirotic is a dangerous 3-point shooter, a solid defensive rebounder, and a relatively versatile frontcourt defender. He looks like the answer to Milwaukee’s matchup problems in the postseason.

The Detroit Pistons receive Thon Maker, who is a promising talent that has lost his path in the NBA and a change in scenery is probably what is best for him. The potential is there and now the Pistons will look to unlock it.

The New Orleans Pelicans were looking to rebuild and got exactly that. A nice young player in Stanley Johnson, an expiring Jason Smith contract and 4 second round picks, one of the Bucks, plus one from Denver and two from the Wizards. Their rebuild looks to be on track and this deal is a win-win for all parties.