The NBA’s trade deadline is less than three days away, and the Brooklyn Nets and Milwaukee Bucks have decided to get in on the fun. The two teams have agreed to a swap that will involve bench players from both sides switching organizations, with an additional second-round draft pick moving to Brooklyn.
Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN brought word of a trade that will lead to the Nets getting rid of Tyler Zeller in exchange for the aforementioned draft pick.
Brooklyn is trading Tyler Zeller to Milwaukee, league sources tell ESPN.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) February 5, 2018
Shams Charania of The Vertical then added some details, tweeting that Milwaukee will send third-year guard Rashad Vaughn to the Nets, which Wojnarowski confirmed.
Milwaukee is trading guard Rashad Vaughn to Brooklyn for center Tyler Zeller, league sources say.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 5, 2018
As Wojnarowski tweeted, the main thing for Brooklyn was to add a draft pick to their war chest of assets. This pick will include some protections, but the move achieved its No. 1 goal.
Sources: Milwaukee's 2018 second-round pick to Nets is protected 31-to-47, or Milwaukee sends unprotected second in 2020 if the pick doesn't convey in 2018.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) February 5, 2018
For Brooklyn, the key was turning Zeller into a second-round pick. Nets still trying to replenish stash of picks. Vaughn's contract simply made the deal work.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) February 5, 2018
Neither Zeller nor Vaughn has played a major role for their respective teams this season. Zeller, who has a non-guaranteed contract next season, has averaged 7.1 points and 4.6 rebounds in 16.7 minutes per game for the Nets. Vaughn, meanwhile, has barely played in Milwaukee, averaging 2.7 points in 7.9 minutes a night in his final season before his rookie deal is up and he hits free agency.
This is a low-risk move for both teams, a the Nets added a pick and a player who was taken in the first round in 2015 and the Bucks added a veteran center who can come off the bench. Additionally, current Milwaukee center John Henson is stoked that he’s going to be reunited with his former college teammate, which is always cool to see.
Z!!!!!!!!!!!
— John Henson (@Johnhenson31) February 5, 2018
The last time these two were teammates, they were able to help lead North Carolina to the Elite Eight in 2012. Perhaps they’ll have a little more luck in their pursuit of a title during their time together in Milwaukee.
