NEW YORK – The Milwaukee Bucks have been gauging the market for big men throughout the season, especially in light of their November trade that sent Greg Monroe to the Phoenix Suns in return for point guard Eric Bledsoe.
On Monday, the Bucks made a move to shore up their front line, acquiring Tyler Zeller from the Brooklyn Nets in exchange for Rashad Vaughn and a future second-round pick.
“We saw an opportunity to add someone who has, I think, legitimate NBA center size, someone who is a proven NBA player, another floor spacer, a guy who has recently shown that he can shoot the ball from the corner three,” general manager Jon Horst said Tuesday.
“Analytically he’s a very good rebounder and efficient scorer around the rim as well. Coach (Joe) Prunty has coached him when he was with Cleveland and John Henson played with him, so we did our due diligence.
"He’s a high-character guy who we had an opportunity to add not only this year but as a great contract for us next year, so there’s really a future option here with the player as well. This is not just a shot-term fix, this is a chance to add another really good, high-character, highly talented person to our roster this year and going forward.”
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Zeller’s contract is indeed a friendly one for the organization. He’s making about $1.7 million this season and that number will bump up to about $1.9 million next year. However, Zeller's 2018-'19 salary is not guaranteed and the Bucks would have until the Jan. 10 deadline to decide whether they want to keep him for the rest of the campaign — and guarantee his contract — or cut him without any strings attached.
In order to make this trade happen, the Bucks needed to include a second-round pick. That pick will go to the Nets this season if it falls between Nos. 31-47. If not, Milwaukee’s 2018 second-round pick will go to the Suns as part of the Monroe-Bledsoe swap and the Bucks’ 2020 second-round pick will belong to the Nets.
“It hurt — I’d rather not give up a pick to do a trade,” Horst said. “But it felt like a fair currency, the right currency to do a deal for a proven rotational big in this league that’s under contract this year and next year on what we think is a really great contract.”
Despite his close proximity to Madison Square Garden, Zeller was not on hand for the team’s shootaround Tuesday. That’s because both he and Vaughn were undergoing physicals and taking the necessary steps to consummate the trade.
Should the process go forward without a hitch, the Bucks expect Zeller to join the team in Manhattan in time for Tuesday night’s game against the Knicks. If that’s the case, Prunty hopes to be able to use him in the game.
“If everything goes well (he’ll play),” Prunty said. “Obviously got to get him up to speed with everything, but if all goes well.”
Henson, who played three seasons with Zeller at North Carolina from 2009-‘12, is excited about their reunion. While the two are unlikely to share the court together like they did in college, Henson thinks Zeller can bring needed depth to the frontcourt and that his size and physicality will be a boon for the Bucks, who rank last in the league in rebounding.
“I think he’s a lot better than the league knows and I’m sure you guys are going to see that coming up soon,” Henson said of the 7-foot, 250-pound Zeller. “We can throw him out there against big fellas sometimes and get them a little tired. Me and Thon (Maker) are struggling and that’s kind of what I think he’s here for.
"I think he’s a good combination with me and Thon being slimmer guys. He can kind of get in there and bang a little bit. As far as bigs go, we complement each other, that’s why I think we were so good in college as well.”
However, as one three-year teammate of Henson’s comes into the fold, another one leaves. Vaughn, taken by the Bucks with the 17th overall pick in the 2015 draft, never gained traction in Milwaukee and his playing time diminished each season.
He may not have impacted the team much on the court, averaging 3.1 points in 12.3 minutes per game over 133 appearances, but Vaughn’s positive demeanor, work ethic and sense of humor were appreciated by his teammates.
“Rashad was a great guy for us; he’s one of those locker room guys,” Khris Middleton said. “People probably won’t really understand the type of relationship we had with him, but if you see him in the player intro huddles then you’ll understand a little bit more.
"Wish it could have worked out here better for him. The minutes, the way he played he didn’t help himself too much. I hope for the best for him in Brooklyn.”
Henson added: “That’s one of my dudes, man. It’s going to be tough to see him go. I don’t know who is going to dance in the circle. … I’m happy he’s going to get a chance to go somewhere else and get an opportunity to play because the kid can play.”