The Milwaukee Bucks are ready to jump in if the deal between the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Boston Celtics will not push through. Zach Lowe of ESPN reported that the Bucks have offered reigning Rookie of the Year Malcolm Brogdon and forward Khris Middleton for Cavaliers All-Star point guard Kyrie Irving. The Bucks did not include a first-round pick, but they will do so once they get an assurance from Irving that he will sign a long-term deal with the team.
The Celtics have shipped Isaiah Thomas, Jae Crowder, Ante Zizic and the Brooklyn Nets' unprotected 2018 first-round pick to the Cavaliers for Irving.
However, the deal hit a snag due to uncertainty in Thomas’ injured hip, an issue which surfaced after he underwent a physical last week in Cleveland. It was determined during the physical that Thomas may miss more time than earlier anticipated. Thomas sustained the injury in the regular season, but he aggravated it during their Conference Semifinal series against the Washington Wizards. He played in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Cavaliers, but he was sidelined midway through Game 2. He did not play the rest of the series as the Celtics lost to the Cavaliers in five games.
Cavaliers want late first-round or second-round pick
Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN said the Cavaliers want a late first-round pick or a second-round pick from the Celtics as additional compensation.
The Celtics are resisting any request from the Cavs for additional asset since they have been transparent about Thomas’ condition during their negotiations. The Celtics medical team constantly communicated and exchanged vital information with their Cavaliers counterparts about Thomas’ condition before they agreed to a trade.
The Cavaliers have until Thursday to void the deal or the two sides can agree to extend the deadline for finalizing the trade.
Brogdon emerging star for the Bucks
Last season, the Bucks took Brogdon as the No. 36 overall pick in the 2017 NBA draft. He averaged 10.2 points and 4.2 assists per game en route to winning the Rookie of the Year Award.
The 26-year-old Middleton, for his part, was limited to 29 games last season due to different injuries, one year after he tallied 18.2 points, 4.2 assists, 3.8 rebounds and 1.7 steals per game. Losing Brogdon and Middleton will not affect the Bucks’ depth as Irving is expected to improve the team. Last season, Irving averaged a career-best 25.2 points per game and increased his production in the playoffs to 25.9 points per outing, but the Cavaliers lost to the Golden State Warriors in the NBA Finals in five games. If Irving plays alongside Giannis Antetokounmpo, the Bucks will turn into solid contenders in the Eastern Conference and be a threat to the Cavaliers’ reign.
