One Trade That Every Team Should Do
Milwaukee gets: C/PF Enes Kanter
Utah gets: C Zaza Pachulia, Milwaukee’s 2015 second-rounder, Milwaukee’s 2016 second-rounder
Finances: Pretty even financial swap here. Kanter is on the final year of his contract worth $5.7 million, and the whole reason this trade is happening is because the Jazz don’t want to give him a new contract next year. That new deal will likely be for about $7-8 million annually. Pachulia is making a reasonable $5.2 million for each of the next two seasons, so these contracts even out nicely.
The Fit: Milwaukee has expressed interest in acquiring Kanter recently, as they should. They look to acquire more young pieces to help the rebuild, and with C/PF Larry Sanders clearly not working out, Kanter could be a nice fit next to PF/C John Henson in the Bucks’ frontcourt. Kanter is averaging a solid 14 points and 8 rebounds per game, though he does little elsewhere. Pachulia is on the wrong side of 30, and though he is putting together a nice year, he’s far too old for Milwaukee’s young core. Upgrading to Kanter, 22, at the expense of only a couple second-round picks has to be considered a win for the Bucks.
Why the other team does it: The Jazz have expressed little interest in keeping Kanter past this season, and the feeling is mutual among the two parties. Utah seems to favor young C Rudy Govert over him, as the French big man has a 7’9” wingspan that he puts to good use. Trading away Kanter for value as opposed to letting him walk for nothing makes much more sense, even if it means taking back the multi-year contract of Pachulia. Because hey, second-rounders are always better than nothing.
Milwaukee gets: C/PF Enes Kanter
Utah gets: C Zaza Pachulia, Milwaukee’s 2015 second-rounder, Milwaukee’s 2016 second-rounder
Finances: Pretty even financial swap here. Kanter is on the final year of his contract worth $5.7 million, and the whole reason this trade is happening is because the Jazz don’t want to give him a new contract next year. That new deal will likely be for about $7-8 million annually. Pachulia is making a reasonable $5.2 million for each of the next two seasons, so these contracts even out nicely.
The Fit: Milwaukee has expressed interest in acquiring Kanter recently, as they should. They look to acquire more young pieces to help the rebuild, and with C/PF Larry Sanders clearly not working out, Kanter could be a nice fit next to PF/C John Henson in the Bucks’ frontcourt. Kanter is averaging a solid 14 points and 8 rebounds per game, though he does little elsewhere. Pachulia is on the wrong side of 30, and though he is putting together a nice year, he’s far too old for Milwaukee’s young core. Upgrading to Kanter, 22, at the expense of only a couple second-round picks has to be considered a win for the Bucks.
Why the other team does it: The Jazz have expressed little interest in keeping Kanter past this season, and the feeling is mutual among the two parties. Utah seems to favor young C Rudy Govert over him, as the French big man has a 7’9” wingspan that he puts to good use. Trading away Kanter for value as opposed to letting him walk for nothing makes much more sense, even if it means taking back the multi-year contract of Pachulia. Because hey, second-rounders are always better than nothing.