Brook Lopez is simply too slow to effectively participate in that plan, and unsurprisingly, Milwaukee's defense has been 5.3 points per 100 possessions better with him on the bench. Milwaukee's drop-coverage has been exposed in the past two postseasons, so the Bucks are switching more in an effort to prepare for the postseason. 1 ranked defense in each of the past two seasons, but have fallen to No. This trade is about defense, though, and even if Tucker isn't quite himself, he's still almost certainly an upgrade. Milwaukee should have little trouble replicating the shots that Harden created for Tucker. He averaged almost 3.5 wide-open 3-pointers per game over the past two seasons. ![]() Harden's departure disrupted the entire offense, and Tucker has been a victim. After all, Tucker spent years getting spoon-fed clean looks by James Harden. The Bucks are betting that he has at least one more run in him. He's still strong enough to contend with centers, but just how effectively he can still switch onto perimeter players is still something of a mystery. It's hardly surprising given his age, but Tucker isn't moving quite as nimbly as he once did. The eye test has been similarly discouraging. Most defensive metrics hint at a meaningful but not overwhelming decline. After shooting over 39 percent on corner 3-pointers over the past four seasons, he's down to 33.8 percent this season. His season has been discouraging, to say the least. The success or failure of this trade is going to come down to how much Tucker still has left in the tank at 35. Here is how both teams grade in the deal: He fits on virtually any winning team, and now, in a contract year, he'll have a chance to prove his worth to the rest of the NBA during a playoff run in Milwaukee. Almost every contender had reportedly inquired about him at some point. Tucker is one of the first major dominos to fall this deadline. They have recognized that and continue to prioritize draft capital in response. The absence of Christian Wood is partially responsible, but in truth, the Rockets simply are not built to win now. Tucker is likely the first of several veterans to get dealt at the deadline, with rumors also surrounding Victor Oladipo and, prior to his injury, Eric Gordon. The Rockets, meanwhile, are pushing full steam ahead into their rebuild. Whether or not he can still do so at his age is unclear. ![]() Tucker has filled that role brilliantly in the past. Really, he's a small-ball center, an increasingly important sort of player to have in the postseason when the best teams tend to downsize. In fact, calling him a forward might not even be accurate. Tucker, now 35 years old, has previously been one of the most versatile forwards in the NBA. He'll join a championship contender in the Bucks while Houston continues its move toward a rebuild. The Rockets had previously taken Tucker out of the lineup when it became apparent that a trade was coming. The Bucks are also trading forward Torrey Craig to the Phoenix Suns, according to Wojnarowski. In addition, Houston gained the right to swap its 2021 second-round pick for Milwaukee's 2021 first-round pick, provided the Bucks do not pick in the top nine. Wilson and an unprotected 2023 first-round pick, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski. Tucker, Rodions Kurucs and Milwaukee's 2022 first-round pick back to the Bucks in exchange for D.J.
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