Bucks make moves sending longtime veteran to the Hornets.
Bucks Announce Trade with Hornets on Monday originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
The Milwaukee Bucks have made it clear this offseason that they’re not just sitting around hoping things magically fall into place. They’re determined to build a squad that can get them back to the NBA Finals while Giannis Antetokounmpo is still in his prime.
On Monday, they made another big move to shake things up, pulling off a trade with the Charlotte Hornets that’s got fans buzzing. This time, they said goodbye to Pat Connaughton, a familiar face for Milwaukee fans, and dealt a pair of draft picks in exchange for a veteran they’re convinced could add just the spark they need to push them over the top.
The Bucks’ new addition is Vasilije Micic, a crafty Serbian guard who made his NBA debut with the Oklahoma City Thunder in the 2023–24 season at age 30. Now 31, he has bounced around a bit, playing for three different teams in just two seasons, putting up about 6.8 points a game while hitting 31.5% of his 3-point attempts. The trade was confirmed by the Bucks on X.
We have traded Pat Connaughton and two second-round draft picks to the Charlotte Hornets in exchange for Vasilije Micić.
— Milwaukee Bucks (@Bucks) July 7, 2025
To get him, Milwaukee sent Connaughton plus second-round picks in 2031 and 2032 over to the Hornets. The hope is that Micic can bring some fresh energy and depth as the Bucks make another push for the NBA Finals.
Connaughton has been a steady piece for the Bucks for seven seasons now. Not bad for a guy who went undrafted out of Notre Dame, right? Over his 10-year NBA career, he has carved out a solid role, putting up about 5.3 points, 2.7 boards and 1.7 assists last season while shooting almost 47% from the floor and 32% from deep.
Meanwhile, Milwaukee’s been busy. They just locked in Myles Turner on a four-year, $107 million deal and are reportedly planning to waive Damian Lillard to make that all work financially.
By trading Connaughton, who’d opted in for next season, they’re clearing his $9.4 million salary off the books. As for the Hornets? They’re happy to take him on and stash those extra picks as they plan for the future.
Related: Milwaukee Bucks Break Silence on Trading 'Franchise Legend' at Deadline
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 7, 2025, where it first appeared.
Category: Basketball
