Milwaukee Bucks received Brad Lohaus; Timberwolves' option to swap 1991 or 1992 second round picks with Bucks (1992 #36-Duane Cooper). Minnesota Timberwolves received Randy Breuer; Timberwolves' option to swap 1991 or 1992 second round picks with Bucks (1992 #34-Chris Smith (G.)).
Milwaukee sent Randy Breuer to Minnesota on January 4, 1990 for Brad Lohaus, with a future second-round swap mechanism attached. Both teams were changing the shape of their frontcourt rather than chasing a star. Breuer gave the expansion Timberwolves a traditional seven-footer with starting experience, while Lohaus offered Milwaukee more perimeter shooting and mobility at the position.
Breuer became a regular part of Minnesota’s early rotation and gave the young franchise stability in the middle. Lohaus likewise became a recurring Bucks frontcourt piece and fit Milwaukee’s preference for a big who could stretch away from the basket. Neither player turned the trade into a major franchise event, but both sides received real on-court value instead of a short rental.
The second-round option eventually resolved in the 1992 draft. Minnesota ended up with the No. 34 slot associated with Chris Smith, while Milwaukee received the No. 36 slot that became Duane Cooper. Neither branch created enough NBA value to overwhelm the veteran-for-veteran portion of the deal. The swap matters as part of the transaction record, but it does not meaningfully break the tie. The swap clause concerned future second-round positioning, not another first-round pick or a guaranteed impact prospect. It was exercisable around the 1991 or 1992 drafts and ultimately produced two nearby selections in 1992: No. 34 Chris Smith for Minnesota and No. 36 Duane Cooper for Milwaukee. Those slots were only two choices apart and yielded limited lasting NBA value, so the mechanism should be kept separate from the primary Breuer–Lohaus exchange. Both veteran centers provided several seasons of usable frontcourt play in their new situations. Neither franchise obtained an overwhelming draft advantage on top of that return, which is why the two B grades remain defensible rather than forcing a winner.
Even Trade — Milwaukee B, Minnesota B. The Timberwolves got several seasons of Randy Breuer, while the Bucks got several seasons of Brad Lohaus. The later second-round swap produced only limited additional value on either side. This is a rare trade where the completed returns still look close: each team received a useful veteran big and neither draft branch created a decisive advantage.