Milwaukee Bucks send Roy Hibbert to Denver Nuggets in quiet deadline day
ST. FRANCIS - It was a quiet trade deadline day for the Milwaukee Bucks, with one exception.
The Bucks did send veteran center Roy Hibbert to the Denver Nuggets in exchange for a heavily protected 2019 second-round draft pick, the team announced Thursday afternoon after the deadline.
Hibbert was on his phone after practice and shook hands with coach Jason Kidd before heading to the locker room. The 7-foot-2 Hibbert never played a single minute after joining the Bucks in a Feb. 2 trade that sent center Miles Plumlee to Charlotte in exchange for Hibbert and forward Spencer Hawes.
The Nuggets were able to get closer to the league's salary floor by making the deal for Hibbert, who is on an expiring deal worth $5 million. Denver officials are hoping Hibbert can give them some minutes as they fight for a Western Conference playoff spot.
The Bucks had 7-foot-1 rookie Thon Maker starting at center and Greg Monroe playing major minutes as the backup center, so Hibbert was not in line to contribute in Milwaukee.
The Bucks did not immediately make a move to fill their open roster spot.
The Bucks still have the 7-1 Hawes, who also has yet to play for the team but is staying prepared for his chance. Milwaukee resumes play Friday, hosting Utah in its first game after the all-star break.
Hawes had been getting regular minutes off the bench with the Hornets before the trade. He was averaging 7.3 points and 4.2 rebounds in 35 games with Charlotte.
"You go around long enough and get yourself in different situations, and you've just got to stay prepared," Hawes said. "I know it's corny to say it. But you do as much as you can.
"I think having a couple days here to get some practices in and get a lot more reps, I feel like I'm in better rhythm and learning the offense. I think my skill set fits in well with all the playmakers they have and guys who can get in the paint. So just keep (working) and the time will come, the opportunity will come."
Hawes, 28, is on his sixth team since being selected 10th overall by the Sacramento Kings in the 2007 draft.
"This is the time of the year where you're either on a team that's making a run at it or a team that's shutting it down and playing for draft picks," Hawes said. "I've been in that situation before and you never want to be in that situation.
"This is what you work for and what you look forward to, so you have to relish it. We have our fate in our own hands. We don't have to depend on a bunch of scenarios to happen to be in the mix."
The Bucks were anticipating a quiet deadline day and it turned out that way. It was nothing like the day two years ago when the Bucks traded leading scorer Brandon Knight to Phoenix in exchange for Michael Carter-Williams, Tyler Ennis and Plumlee.
Monroe, who has been through a few nerve-wracking trade deadline days, said he felt much better this time around.
"This might be less stressful than what I've had in about four years," Monroe said. "It is a part of this league. Transactions are going on, but it's more of a thing for the media than for the players.
"Players hate it. If you're going to trade me, just call me in the office and tell me. If not, let's get ready for the last stretch. I don't think players care for that. It's stressful, but it's a part of this league. You've got to take the good with the bad."
The 6-11 center is putting himself in contention for the Sixth Man of the Year award with his consistent production off the Bucks bench.
"Right now it's more about getting the wins, doing whatever I can for the team and trying to be as productive as possible," Monroe said. "That stuff comes when you win. If I'm in consideration or if I get it, I know it's all because of what we're doing as a team."
Monroe is averaging 11.6 points and 6.7 rebounds in 54 games, all off the bench, and is shooting 53.9% from the field while playing a career-low 21.8 minutes per game.