JRUE HOLIDAY HEADS TO MILWAUKEE IN 4-WAY BLOCKBUSTER

In a four-team trade, the Milwaukee Bucks acquired guards Jrue Holiday and Sam Merrill from the New Orleans Pelicans; New Orleans acquired center Steven Adams from the Oklahoma City Thunder, and guard Eric Bledsoe, a first-round draft pick in 2025, a first-round draft pick in 2027, the right to swap first-round draft picks in 2024 and the right to swap first-round draft picks in 2026 from the Bucks; Oklahoma City acquired guard George Hill from the Bucks, forwards Zylan Cheatham, Darius Miller and Kenrich Williams, guard Josh Gray, a second-round draft pick in 2023 and a second-round draft pick in 2024 from the Pelicans, and a protected first-round draft pick in 2023 from the Nuggets; and Denver acquired guard R.J. Hampton from the Bucks.

What does it give the Milwaukee Bucks
For Milwaukee, this trade is the equivalent of moving all the poker chips to the middle of the table and declaring, "I'm all in!" The Bucks hope that the arrival of Holiday will convince franchise forward Giannis Antetokounmpo to stay with the club for the long haul. "The Greek Freak" has until December 21 to decide whether or not to accept a super-max contract from Milwaukee. If he accepts it, this deal will look very good for the Bucks. If he does not, it will be a disaster. It really is that simple. The final pick in the second round was used on shooting guard Merrill, who may play a role off the bench right away.

What does it give the New Orleans Pelicans
Trading Holiday seemed inevitable from a Pelicans perspective, since new coach Stan Van Gundy wants to hand over the offense to point guard Lonzo Ball on a full-time basis in 2020-21. Therefore, it makes sense that New Orleans dealt Holiday here. Adams will instantly plug in as a quality starter at center for the Pelicans. He is a nice fit alongside Zion Williamson in the frontcourt. Bledsoe is expected to start at the two-guard position for New Orleans, but he can also play the point. The keys for the Pels here are the future assets added, including two future firsts and the right to swap two more firsts down the road!

What does it give the Oklahoma City Thunder
The Thunder seem to be in complete rebuilding mode now, so it does make some sense that they parted ways with veteran center Adams in this massive trade. In Hill, the Thunder get back a veteran point guard who can help Shai Gilgeous-Alexander much the way Chris Paul did last season. The difference is Hill will come off the bench to back up SGA, instead of playing alongside of him like Paul did. Cheatham, Miller, Williams and Gray are all unproven talents being added to an OKC team that now needs bodies. They also got picks to complete this deal.

What does it give the Denver Nuggets
In Hampton, the Nuggets get an intriguing guard who was the 24th overall selection in this year's draft. He has good size and the ability to play as a combo guard, so there is a chance that Hampton can join Denver's rotation right away. He spent last season playing against men in New Zealand's top league, so he could be ready for the challenge. At some point, the Nuggets hope Hampton can play as a starting two guard next to superstar Jamal Murray. That could make this club even better than it already is under head coach Michael Malone.

Fantasy impact
Holiday should make an impact in 2020-21, and gives Milwaukee another elite defender in the starting lineup. He will also be used far more as a facilitator with his new team, so expect a little spike in fantasy stock in leagues with many stat categories. That said, Holiday's keeper value is directly linked to Antetokounmpo's decision. Therefore, it may not be a bad idea to trade Holiday right now, while his value is high. Adams has some value as a true center who can pass the ball, but he may score even less in New Orleans than he did with the Thunder. So, proceed with caution. As for Bledsoe, expect a slight regression in his fantasy numbers because the Hornets have several other options at the guard positions. Merrill might have some appeal in keeper leagues. Hill is in decline and does not need to be drafted in most league formats. Hampton is one of the clear winners after this trade from a fantasy perspective, and he should be selected in all keeper leagues (fairly early). He is also a potential late-round steal in regularly drafts. Cheatham, Miller, Williams and Gray have no fantasy value at present time.