Jrue Holiday: Milwaukee Bucks agree trade for New Orleans Pelicans guard
The acquisitions of Jrue Holiday from the New Orleans Pelicans and Bogdan Bogdanovic from the Sacramento Kings could aid the Milwaukee Bucks in their quest to persuade two-time reigning MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo to sign a contract extension
Tuesday 17 November 2020 14:23, UK
The Milwaukee Bucks have agreed trades to acquire guard Jrue Holiday from the New Orleans Pelicans and forward Bogdan Bogdanovic from the Sacramento Kings, according to US reports.
According to The Athletic and ESPN, the two trades, which see several players - and draft picks - departing Milwaukee, were agreed on Monday night and into the early hours of Tuesday morning.
The trades, which will not be official until the NBA league year begins this weekend, could prove crucial in the Bucks' attempts to persuade NBA Most Valuable Player Giannis Antetokounmpo to stay with them long term.
Milwaukee are sending guards Eric Bledsoe and George Hill to New Orleans along with three future first-round draft picks. The trade also features two future draft-pick swaps.
Sacramento receive forward Donte DiVincenzo, DJ Wilson and Ersan Ilyasova.
Holiday, 30, was selected the 2020 NBA Teammate of the Year, capping a season in which he averaged 19.1 points, 6.7 assists and 4.8 rebounds. He is due $25.4m for the 2020-21 season and holds a player option at $26.3m for 2021-22.
Bogdanovic averaged 15.1 points per game and shot 37.1 percent from 3-point range. The 28-year-old attempted nine three-pointers per 36 minutes last season and brings another perimeter threat to an offense that also includes All-Star Khris Middleton.
A first-round pick (17th overall) of the 76ers in 2009 out of UCLA, Holiday spent four years in Philadelphia before he was traded to New Orleans in July 2013. Holiday, an All-Star in his final season for the 76ers, has career averages of 15.9 points, 6.4 assists and 3.9 rebounds in 713 games (640 starts).
Bledsoe, 30, spent three seasons in Milwaukee, most recently averaging 14.9 points, 5.4 assists and 4.6 rebounds last season. He previously played for the Los Angeles Clippers (2010-11 to 2012-13) and the Phoenix Suns (2013-14 to 2017-18), and his career norms are 14.2 points, 4.8 assists and four rebounds per game.
Hill, 34, led the NBA with a 46 per cent success rate from three-point range last season, hitting 81 of 176 attempts. He averaged 9.4 points, 3.1 assists and three rebounds in 2019-20, leaving his career averages at 11.1 points, 3.2 assists and 3.1 rebounds.
Hill has competed for the San Antonio Spurs (2008-09 to 2010-11), Indiana Pacers (2011-12 to 2015-16), Utah Jazz (2016-17), Sacramento Kings (2017-18), Cleveland Cavaliers (2017-18 to 2018-19) and Milwaukee.
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Antetokounmpo is coming off his second consecutive MVP season and was also selected the NBA's Defensive Player of the Year for 2019-20 as Milwaukee secured the best regular-season record in the NBA, but was unable to prevent the Bucks falling to a surprise Eastern Conference semi-finals defeat to the Miami Heat.
The 25-year-old Greek, who has one year left on his current contract, could sign a super-max contract extension worth between $220m and $250m over five years to remain with the Bucks.
