Bucks’ NBA Title Odds Improve to +500 After Acquiring Holiday, Bogdanovic

• Bucks’ NBA title odds improve to +500 after trading for Jrue Holiday, Bogdan Bogdanovic
• Milwaukee crashed out of the playoffs in the second round last season after finishing with the NBA’s best record
• Giannis Antetokounmpo eligible to sign extension with Bucks next month

The Bucks have posted the best record in the NBA over the past two regular seasons combined, but postseason success has continued to elude Milwaukee. Despite having gone a combined 116-39 over the past two seasons, the Bucks have endured back-to-back flameouts come playoff time. Milwaukee was beaten in six games by the eventual champion Raptors two years ago, while the Heat easily disposed of the heavily-favored Bucks in a five-game second-round series this past season.

With the future of Giannis Antetokounmpo in limbo, this offseason was always going to be a crucial one for Milwaukee’s long-term success. Antetokounmpo is eligible to sign a “supermax” extension with the team next month, but, as of now, we have not yet heard whether he’ll put his name on the dotted line.

However, it sure seems as though the Bucks are trying everything they can to entice the Greek Freak to stick around. Milwaukee made a couple of splashy late-night trades on Monday that will likely bolster their chances of remaining atop the Eastern Conference this season.

Bucks Trade for Holiday, Bogdanovic

Late Monday night, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported that the Bucks had acquired guard Jrue Holiday from the New Orleans Pelicans in exchange for Eric Bledsoe, George Hill, and a bevy of future draft assets. The haul includes three future first-round draft picks as well as the rights to swap picks two more times.

The Bucks weren’t done there, though. Shortly thereafter, news broke that Milwaukee had also agreed to a sign-and-trade deal with the Sacramento Kings to bring Bogdan Bogdanovic to the Midwest. The Bucks sent Donte DiVincenzo, Ersan Ilyasova, and DJ Wilson to Sacramento. Swingman Justin James is also on his way to Milwaukee.

The trades have slightly improved the Bucks’ chances of winning next year’s NBA title. While the reigning champion Los Angeles Lakers are still favorites (+325), the pair of deals sent the Bucks’ odds from +600 to +500, per BetOnline.ag.

Pelicans Continue to Rebuild

Holiday is known as one of the best defensive guards in the NBA, and he has become one of the league’s more underrated offensive point guards, as well. The UCLA product averaged better than 19 points with nearly 7.0 assists per game last season for New Orleans.

While the Pelicans had playoff hopes last season, the move signals that the team doesn’t think its rebuilding process is yet complete. Last summer, New Orleans acquired Brandon Ingram, Lonzo Ball, Josh Hart, and a number of draft picks from the Lakers in exchange for Anthony Davis. The Lakers got a championship in Davis’ first year with the team, while the Pelicans are well-stocked with young talent heading into the future.

Pelicans’ 1st round draft picks:

2020: 13, 24 (MIL)

2021: own, LAL 8-30 protected (unprotected 2022)

2022: Own

2023: Own, LAL unprotected

2024: Own, right to swap w LAL in either 24 or 25, MIL swap

2025: Own, MIL unprotected

2026: Own, MIL swap

2027: Own, MIL unprotected

— Andrew Lopez (@_Andrew_Lopez) November 17, 2020

It has long been believed that Holiday would be the next veteran player out the door, so the Pelicans decided to ship the 30-year-old to Milwaukee while his value was at its peak. Holiday has one year left on his contract that will pay him just over $26 milliion. He also has a player option worth over $27 million for the 2021-22 campaign.

New Orleans now has a boatload of draft assets in addition to a core of Ingram, Ball, and Zion Williamson. Bledsoe’s stock has fallen a bit over the past couple of years, but he has still been a useful two-way guard in the past when healthy. Hill may well be rerouted in another trade to a contender at some point before the end of next season.

Kings Dump Bogdanovic

Bogdanovic has toiled in relative anonymity in Sacramento over the past couple of seasons, but he has quietly become a very useful offensive swingman. The 28-year-old shot better than 37 percent from three-point range last season on quite a bit of volume, though his playing time was somewhat limited thanks to the Kings’ crowded wing rotation.

Bogdanovic was set to become a restricted free agent this summer, but he will now sign a new deal with the Bucks. Terms on his new contract have not yet been disclosed.

While nothing is official, Marc Stein of the New York Times reported Monday that he has heard that Antetokounmpo has long been expected to sign that aforementioned extension once the Bucks officially make the offer later this winter. The team’s moves show that the Bucks are serious about winning a title with the two-time reigning league MVP still in the mix at all costs.