The Milwaukee Bucks are making their push.
In a largely quiet (so far) final day before the NBA’s 3 p.m. trade deadline arrives, the Eastern Conference-leading Bucks have made a deal to acquire Pelicans power forward Nikola Mirotic, according to ESPN. Milwaukee will send Jason Smith and Stanley Johnson, whom it acquired Wednesday, over in return.
Mirotic, 27, is averaging 16.7 points and 8.3 rebounds with New Orleans this season and will now join Giannis Antetokounmpo, providing a stretch-four for Milwaukee (40-13), which hasn’t won a playoff series in 18 years.
The Bucks are going for it a day after Philadelphia landed Tobias Harris, as the East contenders position themselves for playoff battles.