The Washington Wizards have traded guard Jodie Meeks, a future second-round pick, and cash considerations to the Milwaukee Bucks, who will subsequently waive the 31-year old guard, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.
Meeks averaged 6.3 points, 1.6 rebounds, and 0.9 assists in 77 games for the Wizards last season. He shot a disappointing 39.9 percent from the field and 34.3 percent from three — his lowest since 2014-15 season.
Meeks was off and on in the rotation and reportedly requested a trade because of his playing time as Tomas Satoransky and Kelly Oubre were used as primary guard backups to Bradley Beal. He fell more out of favor with the team when he was suspended 25 games for violating the NBA’s Anti-Drug Program. He missed all six games of the Wizards’ first-round exit in the playoffs and was set to miss the first 19 games of the 2018-19 regular season.
Meeks was held out of the Wizards’ first four preseason games, only appearing in the finale against the Guangzhou Long-Lions. He scored eight points in 17 minutes. Wizards head coach Scott Brooks said Meeks’ limited play was due to the fact he wouldn’t play for the first 19 games with his suspension.
The Wizards made efforts to improve its struggling bench this summer, acquiring guard Austin Rivers in a trade that sent another disgruntled player, Marcin Gortat, to the Los Angeles Clippers. Washington also gets its star player John Wall back, who missed 41 games last season due to a knee injury. With the emergence of Oubre and Satoransky, the arrival of Rivers and multi-skilled Jeff Green, minutes may have been scarce for Meeks upon his return from suspension.
The move frees the Wizards of $3.45 million cap hit owed to Meeks in the second of a two-year deal he signed in 2017, but more importantly saves the Wizards up to $6.1 million in luxury tax, according to Dan Feldman of NBC Sports.
Losing another future second-round pick is a bit concerning, considering the Wizards general manager Ernie Grunfeld has been notorious for moving second-round picks, however, there was no other possible way of moving Meeks without throwing some incentive to the Bucks.
