Milwaukee Bucks

To some this deal looked like it came out of nowhere, but for GM Ethan and GM Justin this was the result of ongoing conversations over the last 6 or so weeks. It wasn't a random move, both sides had been talking and trying to figure something out that made sense. The Bucks had Kawhi marked as a guy who could really help them in their push to get back to the promise land; an NSL Championship. From the outside it may have seemed sudden, but internally this was something that had been building for a while.

Kawhi brings an elite two-way skillset that fits the Bucks' defensive identity really well. He isn't just strong on the defensive end, he's consistently able to guard top players and make an impact there. At the same time, he's a highly efficient scorer from all three levels. On top of that, Kawhi brings a level of toughness that this team needed. The Bucks were more finesse than brute force before, but now we have another element to us, someone who can set the tone physically and mentally when it matters.

We also brought in Derrick Jones Jr. as part of the deal. Derrick has a very 2k-friendly skillset with his elite athleticism, solid defensive ratings and a surprisingly good 3-point shot. He's the type of player who will fit well on this roster whether he's starting or coming off the bench. We're really excited to have him once he's fully back from injury, and we think he'll add some energy and versatility that we've been missing.

The next couple of weeks are going to be tough because of injuries, it's been like that since Kawhi and DJJ arrived. That said, our new big three have done a good job of steadying the ship in the meantime while we wait for everyone to get healthy. Once we have Jakob Poeltl, Derrick Jones Jr., and Mo Wagner back at full strength, we feel like we can hang with anyone on any given night.

We still have a rough stretch ahead with Evan Mobley, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jakob Poeltl all set to miss time. Let's hope we have enough to stay afloat and not drop too far down the standings.