BUCKS LAND RICHARD JEFFERSON
The Milwaukee Bucks potentially acquired forward Richard Jefferson from the New Jersey Nets for forwards Yi Jianlian and Bobby Simmons.
What does it give the Milwaukee Bucks
Jefferson is a perfect second option for the team; he's a bona fide scorer (17.4 points a game throughout his career), a decent if somewhat overated defender, and has experience playing alongside a star shooting guard. In recent weeks much speculation has surrounded the Bucks front office, with Michael Redd, Charlie Villanueva and Mo Williams all popping up in trade rumors, but acquiring Jefferson ensures fans that the team is committed to improving immediately. The new-look Bucks look like a certain playoff team on paper, and the team also managed to hold onto their lottery pick in the deal. At the cost of two disgruntled reserves, it's a terrific deal for Milwaukee.
What does it give the New Jersey Nets
The Nets have been firmly in a rebuilding mode since they traded Jason Kidd, and this trade creates valuable salary cap space for a team that has made no secret of plans to target a marquee free agent (Lebron James?) after the 2009-10 season. Not that the actual players they received for Jefferson are anything to sneeze at; Simmons is a decent swingman who never really fit in with the Bucks after signing a five-year deal in 2005, while Yi still has the potential to be a top PF. The Chinese star had hoped to land in a big market when he entered last year's draft, and they don't come much bigger than the New York area.
Fantasy impact
