The Cavaliers and Bucks have officially completed a minor trade, the Cavs announced today in a press release.
The Cavaliers acquired the Bucks’ 2025 second-round pick in the deal in exchange for the rights to former second-round pick Ilkan Karaman. Additionally, the protections on the Bucks’ 2022 first-round pick – sent to Cleveland in a deal two years ago – have been removed.
Although it’s technically a separate transaction, this deal is related to the Bucks’ Jrue Holiday mega–deal. Milwaukee is sending the Pelicans two future first-round picks in that swap. That wouldn’t have been possible as long as the conditions on the traded 2022 pick (which was protected through 2024) remained in place.
Teams aren’t permitted to leave themselves without first-round picks in back-to-back future drafts or trade picks more than seven years in advance. By removing the protections on the 2022 pick to Cleveland, the Bucks freed up their first-rounders to be dealt starting in 2024 — they’ll send the 2025 and 2027 selections to New Orleans.
As a sweetener for accommodating the Bucks, the Cavaliers will pick up that 2025 second-rounder in exchange for the NBA rights of a player drafted in 2012 who will almost certainly never play in the NBA.
I believe the protections were lifted off the 2022 first round pick and not the second round pick, which makes the move more important for the rebuilding cavs.
Thanks, that typo probably made the rest of the post very confusing. It’s been fixed now.
So just to recap: the Bucks asked CLE to remove the protections —- making the pick GUARANTEED to convey even if it’s the #1 pick in the draft.
And for that MKE had to attach ANOTHER PICK?!
Oh my god the Bucks reek of desperation. Pathetic.