Who wins the four-team trade reported on Thursday ahead of the NBA trade deadline involving the Detroit Pistons, LA Clippers, Milwaukee Bucks and Sacramento Kings?
Four teams at different stages of the success cycle, including the defending champion Bucks, got together on a deal that solves varying sets of needs. Milwaukee got value for impending free agent Donte DiVincenzo, who's finally headed to Sacramento after a failed attempt to land him in a sign-and-trade for Bogdan Bogdanovic back in November 2019, and adds insurance at center.
The Kings finally moved on from 2018 No. 2 overall pick Marvin Bagley III, who's headed to the Pistons as the latest in their collection of former lottery picks trying to make good on their potential with a second team. That move helps rebalance the Sacramento roster after Tuesday's trade to land All-Star big man Domantas Sabonis.
Lastly, the Clippers dealing Ibaka for a pair of players on minimum contracts (Rodney Hood and Semi Ojeleye) helps mitigate their tax bill after adding Robert Covington and Norman Powell in a trade completed Friday.
Let's break down the implications of this trade for all four teams involved.
The deal
Milwaukee Bucks get: Serge Ibaka, Two future second-round picks, cash
Sacramento Kings get: Donte DiVincenzo, Trey Lyles, Josh Jackson
LA Clippers get: Rodney Hood, Semi Ojeleye
Detroit Pistons get: Marvin Bagley III
Bucks: C+
Dealing DiVincenzo before the deadline always seemed like the best option for the Bucks. Not only would re-signing him as a restricted free agent this summer have pushed their tax bill into the stratosphere, he's become somewhat duplicative with the addition of Grayson Allen (who's already extended his contract beyond this season) and continued emergence of Pat Connaughton (an unrestricted free agent this summer who will command a sizable raise). There's only so many 6-foot-4 or 6-foot-5 shooting guards one team can play.
Beyond that, Milwaukee had a need to upgrade in the frontcourt. This particular construction suggests some level of concern about Brook Lopez's ability to contribute in the playoffs despite recent reports indicating the Bucks expect him to return this season.
Without Lopez, Milwaukee has gotten troublingly small this season -- particularly in contrast to the giant lineups with P.J. Tucker at small forward and Khris Middleton at shooting guard the team started en route to the 2021 title. Middleton has frequently played power forward in second units this season alongside either Giannis Antetokounmpo or Bobby Portis at center.
The question is whether Ibaka is a solution. After all, he's being traded by another playoff team after slipping behind Isaiah Hartenstein to third on the Clippers' depth chart after his own back injury -- which sidelined Ibaka for all but two games in the 2021 postseason -- lingered into the start of this year. Ibaka's production has trended up recently, and if the Bucks get another center who can both protect the rim and stretch the floor (Ibaka has hit 39% of his limited 3s this season, up from 36% career), that's a boon.
In addition to Ibaka, Milwaukee gets a pair of second-round picks from the Pistons, one of which (Sacramento's 2024 second-rounder) has the potential to be a valuable one down the road. However, it seems plausible that DiVincenzo could have returned more value in terms of pure picks in a deal that didn't add depth as well.
Undoubtedly, Bucks ownership deserves credit for willingness to pay a sizable tax bill in pursuit of a repeat. This trade pushes their tax obligation from $46.5 million to $52.9 million before filling the two open roster spots they've created. Milwaukee was likely to trade Hood and Ojeleye in some deal before the deadline to clear room for buyout candidates.
The Bucks could still use another combo forward capable of helping defend Kevin Durant in a possible playoff matchup. We'll see whether Milwaukee can find that player on the buyout market.
Kings: A
As compared to when the Kings were hoping to acquire DiVincenzo ahead of the 2020-21 season, he's no longer quite as valuable a pickup. DiVincenzo now has just half a season remaining on his rookie contract before getting a raise in restricted free agency. He's also struggled coming back from ankle surgery during the 2021 postseason, hitting just 28% of his 3s thus far after peaking at 38% during 2020-21.
Nonetheless, this deal looks like a great one for Sacramento. After all, Bagley too is headed to restricted free agency and seemed like a long shot to stay with the Kings after a frustrating start to his career. DiVincenzo also fits far better on a team whose roster went from leaning big to leaning massive in the wake of the Sabonis deal. And the team didn't have to give up any picks to swap them.
It wouldn't be surprising to see DiVincenzo settle in as Sacramento's shooting guard. The Kings started Justin Holiday in that spot Wednesday, when he and Sabonis made their Sacramento debuts, but could slide Holiday down to small forward and Harrison Barnes to power forward. Such lineups would put pressure on opposing defenses with their ballhandling and shooting ability, while DiVincenzo and Holiday would give the Kings a pair of above-average wing defenders -- a rarity in Sacramento in recent years.
The Kings will have plenty of room below the tax line to re-sign DiVincenzo as a restricted free agent. Unless one of the handful of teams with cap space makes an offer sheet to him a priority, Sacramento should get DiVincenzo on a reasonable long-term contract. Looking ahead, a backcourt trio of DiVincenzo (25), De'Aaron Fox (24) and rookie Davion Mitchell (23) looks good enough to make the Kings competitive for the postseason.
By virtue of adding three players, Sacramento would have to waive two from its current roster barring another trade. Little-used youngsters Jahmi'us Ramsey and Robert Woodard II would be the most likely candidates.
Pistons: D+
In less than two years on the job as Pistons general manager, Troy Weaver has now acquired five players drafted in the lottery since 2015 but unable to stick with their original teams. Both Jackson and Lyles fell into that category and now so does Bagley, infamously taken a pick ahead of Luka Doncic in 2018.
With the Kings, Bagley was always going to be the player chosen instead of Luka. A trade frees him of those expectations. Still, Bagley has development to do to be a quality player on his own merits. After showing signs of at least being a useful volume scorer his first three seasons, Bagley has backslid in year three, using plays at a below-average rate (19%) while also scoring inefficiently.
To compensate for his shortcomings defensively, Bagley has to become a plus scorer, and he hasn't yet gotten to that point. Sacramento could also never quite figure out a position for Bagley. As a power forward, he doesn't offer enough floor spacing, having made just 30% of his 3s in his career. At center, his rim protection is a major shortcoming. Perhaps the best option is having Bagley play center and switch everything, since he has been decent defending guards one-on-one.
Given the Pistons will have enough cap space this summer that they could likely have signed Bagley outright, they're not necessarily getting much value for a pair of second-round picks. Assuming Bagley re-signs, Detroit will want to get a deal done quickly to reduce his cap hit from an exorbitant $28.2 million to his new 2022-23 salary, which could lead to an overpay.
The thing about Weaver's reclamation projects is none of them have hit yet. Jackson had his moments but ultimately didn't prove a keeper. Nor did Lyles, while Jahlil Okafor and Dennis Smith Jr. are long gone. We'll see whether the latest attempt to get lottery value at bargain prices pays off.
Clippers: A-
Think of this deal as Part II of Friday's trade for the Clippers, who undid the massive increase to their tax bill from that one by moving Ibaka for two players making a combined $3.4 million. As a result, the Clippers saved $30 million compared to where they were over the weekend and came out with a lower net salary from the combination of trades.
At that price, Ibaka was an expensive luxury despite the fact that he's started a handful of games recently. With Covington on board (for now), Ibaka's ability to slide to power forward is no longer as useful, and Hartenstein has outperformed him as a backup center.
There still may be more to come for the Clippers, who will generate a trade exception worth Ibaka's salary ($9.7 million) because both incoming players can be acquired using the minimum exception. For now, the Clippers can probably afford to waive both Hood and Ojeleye, clearing a spot to convert Amir Coffey's two-way contract and possibly giving them the ability to sign a third center or more depth at point guard.