Milwaukee Obtained Jiří Welsch for a Future Second
On June 28, 2005, Cleveland sent Czech swingman Jiří Welsch to Milwaukee for a 2006 second-round draft selection. That choice eventually became No. 44, associated with Israeli forward Lior Eliyahu. Welsch had arrived in Cleveland during the previous season from Boston but appeared in only 16 Cavaliers games, shooting 23.5 percent from the floor. A new front office led by Danny Ferry traded him on draft night rather than keeping a veteran perimeter reserve. Milwaukee chose a known NBA player over a late pick one year away, while Cleveland received an inexpensive chance to add an international prospect. The transaction did not include a first-round pick or any other veteran contracts.
Welsch Played His Final NBA Season for the Bucks
Welsch appeared in 58 Milwaukee games in 2005-06 and started twice. He averaged 4.3 points, 1.9 rebounds and 1.1 assists while playing 14.9 minutes per game. Those were genuine reserve wing contributions after a brief and unsuccessful Cavaliers stint, although his shooting was 38.7 percent and the Bucks had hoped for more stability on the perimeter. Milwaukee reached the 2006 playoffs, and Welsch appeared in three postseason games. He went back to Europe afterward rather than becoming a long-term Bucks rotation fixture. The B- grade in the inherited analysis is generous for the short tenure but does reflect a player who supplied fifty-eight games instead of a rights claim that never translated to NBA minutes.
Eliyahu Never Became a Cavaliers NBA Player
The Cavaliers used the acquired No. 44 pick on Lior Eliyahu, whose professional success largely occurred in Israel and elsewhere overseas. Eliyahu never appeared in an NBA regular-season game for Cleveland, so his overseas scoring cannot be added to the Cavaliers team totals. Cleveland held a real draft asset and a possible future signing option, but no measurable NBA court return followed from the transaction. Its inherited B- grade equals Milwaukee despite the difference in realized NBA games. The Bucks Win verdict must therefore be understood as a practical on-court tiebreak rather than evidence of numerically higher grading. Welsch played in Milwaukee for one season; Eliyahu remained an unconverted NBA right.
Final Verdict
Bucks Win in the inherited verdict despite equal B- grades. Milwaukee received 58 games and 4.3 points per appearance from Jiří Welsch during 2005-06. Cleveland used the 2006 No. 44 pick on Lior Eliyahu, who never appeared in a Cavaliers NBA game. The Bucks obtained the only immediate on-court return.