Bucks News: Wisconsin Herd Trade for Rights to Former NBA Top 10 Pick

Milwaukee's NBAGL club is adding a former elite prospect.

Dec 16, 2022; Dallas, Texas, USA; Portland Trail Blazers forward Justise Winslow (26) lays down on the court as the Dallas Mavericks are introduced before the game at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images / Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

The Milwaukee Bucks' G League affiliate squad, the Wisconsin Herd, have made a minor trade prior to the start of Milwaukee's 2024-24 regular season.

According to Blake Murphy of Sportsnet.ca, the Herd have shipped out the the No. 15 selection in the 2024 G League draft; as well as the G League returning player rights to big men Wenyen Gabriel and Marques Bolden and swingman Deonte Burton; to the Toronto Raptors' G League squad Raptors 905.

In exchange, the Herd are adding the returning player rights to former No. 10 overall NBA draft pick Justise Winslow and guard Darryl Morsell.

At present, Morsell and Gabriel are playing for Israel clubs. Burton is plying his trade for a club in South Korea. Returning player rights essentially guarantee that, should a player want another crack at the NBA but be unable to secure a deal at that level, they'll first suit up for whichever squad possesses their NBAGL rights.

The Bucks had inked Winslow to an Exhibit 10 training camp deal. Thus, should the 6-foot-6 vet play for the Herd for at least 60 days, he will be able to earn at a bonus worth as much as $77,500.

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Winslow, now 28, was drafted by the Miami Heat after winning a championship with Duke in 2015. The veteran combo forward spent five injury-plagued seasons with the Heat. Across his 241 healthy contests (105 starts), Winslow averaged 9.0 points on .417/.337/.646 shooting splits, 5.4 rebounds, 2.7 assists, and 0.9 steals a night. Winslow was flipped to the Memphis Grizzlies midway through the 2019-20 season, though he wasn't healthy enough to play with the club until 2020-21.

Winslow subsequently split the 2021-22 season between the Los Angeles Clippers and Portland Trail Blazers. He last played in the NBA with Portland in 2022-23. Winslow then spent most of 2023-24 with the Raptors 905, outside of inking one 10-day contract with Toronto proper (although he didn't get into a game).

The Bucks will make their 2024-25 regular season debut against the revamped Philadelphia 76ers, who like Milwaukee are another Eastern Conference hopeful. Winslow as an affiliate player will be kept tabs on from afar, but if he impresses with the Herd it's possible he could earn a 10-day deal at some point, and potentially emerge as a deep-bench defender in time for the playoffs.

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