For weeks, P.J. Tucker’s future has been up in the air. The Houston Rockets are embracing a youth movement in the post-James Harden era, and Tucker, who is an unrestricted free agent after this season, wants to play for a team that can satiate his desire to win a championship for the first time in his career.
Basically every good team has been linked to him in recent weeks, and on Wednesday night, we finally got resolution to this entire saga. According to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, the Rockets and the Milwaukee Bucks came to terms on a deal that will send Tucker to the Eastern Conference, while a collection of other players and picks will also be moved in the deal.
Sources: Houston is trading PJ Tucker, Rodions Kurucs and Bucks’ 2022 first-round pick back to Milwaukee for DJ Augustin, DJ Wilson and 2023 unprotected first-round pick. Houston also gets right to swap its 2021 second-round pick for Milwaukee's FRP pick unless it falls 1-9.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) March 17, 2021
Essentially, Milwaukee will likely move back a few spots in the 2021 NBA Draft to use an early second-round Rockets' pick and Houston was able to push back the 2022 first-round pick they previously owned to the 2023 draft.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) March 17, 2021
In a subsequent move, the Bucks sent Torrey Craig to the Phoenix Suns.
Milwaukee is trading forward Torrey Craig to Phoenix, sources tell ESPN. https://t.co/i9O71T4nTr
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) March 17, 2021
It is worth mentioning that Tucker has not been particularly good this season — he’s averaging 4.4 points and 4.6 rebounds in 30 minutes a night while connecting on 31.4 percent of his threes — but he also hasn’t exactly been in a situation conducive to success. Plus, Tucker’s value has always come in the postseason, where his defensive versatility and ability to his threes has been coveted.
If Tucker is capable of being that, this move is a boost for the Bucks’ frontcourt. If not, well, their fortunes to win a championship will still be ultra-reliant on Giannis Antetokounmpo, but Tucker should at least be able to provide some defensive solidity once the playoffs roll around.
