Denver Paid a Protected Second-Rounder for Roy Hibbert
Denver acquired veteran center Roy Hibbert from Milwaukee at the February 23, 2017 trade deadline. The Nuggets surrendered a protected second-round draft choice in 2019, which eventually became No. 57 and was associated with Jordan Bone. Denver general manager Tim Connelly announced the transaction in an official release that also explained Hibbert had not played a game for the Bucks after Milwaukee obtained him from Charlotte earlier that month. He had participated in 42 Hornets games, making 13 starts, before moving twice. Those Charlotte totals are historical context, not Denver production. Denver sought an experienced defensive big man for frontcourt depth, while Milwaukee chose the future asset over a center who had not appeared in its uniform.
His Former All-Star Credentials Did Not Produce a Denver Breakthrough
Hibbert had made two NBA All-Star teams in Indiana and had become a respected rim protector during the Pacers' Eastern Conference playoff runs. However, his mobility and offensive contributions had declined by 2017. The Nuggets acquired a recognizable center, but he never established a meaningful Denver regular-season rotation role after arriving. This transaction therefore cannot be assessed as though his former Indiana blocked shots or 42 Charlotte games were produced for Denver. The Nuggets' C- inherited grade reflects the possibility of using a veteran for emergency frontcourt insurance against the limited actual on-court return. He was already nearing the end of his professional NBA career. The low acquisition price made the experiment understandable, but it was not the addition of a dependable starting center for multiple seasons.
Milwaukee Secured a Real Future Draft Asset
Milwaukee accepted a protected 2019 second-round selection that ultimately became No. 57, associated with Jordan Bone. The selected prospect's later movement between draft-rights holders requires separate tracing before assigning him NBA minutes for the Bucks. Still, Milwaukee obtained the rights to a draft asset instead of retaining a center whose tenure had produced no Bucks games. Its C grade, narrowly above Denver's C-, recognizes this return in flexibility. No first-rounder changed hands, and there was no direct incoming star player for Milwaukee. The outcome illustrates why an acquired player's name recognition can differ from the actual value of a transaction. Denver took a low-cost chance to use a former All-Star. Milwaukee emerged with a delayed draft opportunity for a veteran it had never needed to deploy.
Final Verdict
Bucks Win. Milwaukee receives C for a protected 2019 second-round choice that became No. 57 and was associated with Jordan Bone. Denver earns C- for Roy Hibbert, who had played zero games for Milwaukee and did not establish a Nuggets rotation career. His earlier Charlotte production does not belong to the Nuggets.