FILE — Former Houston Rocket P.J. Tucker handles the ball down the court during the first half of a NBA basketball game against the San Antonio Spurs on August 11, 2020 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida Kim Klement-Pool/Getty Images/AFP
P.J. Tucker, who had asked for a trade from the Houston Rockets, was sent to the Milwaukee Bucks on Friday as part of a four-player NBA deal with draft picks.
The Rockets entered a rebuilding stage with earlier trades of James Harden and Russell Westbrook and Tucker, a 35-year-old forward in the final year of his contract, wanted to join a contending club.
📼 Thanks for the memories, PJ! 🚀 pic.twitter.com/CTNkRSsHpx
— Houston Rockets (@HoustonRockets) March 19, 2021
Houston sent Tucker and Latvian forward Rodions Kurucs to the Bucks for guard D.J. Augustin, big man D.J. Wilson and Milwaukee’s 2023 first-round NBA Draft pick.
Milwaukee also got back its 2022 first-round NBA Draft pick, which the Rockets had obtained from Cleveland in a four-team deal earlier this season.
“P.J. Tucker checks all the boxes,” Bucks general manager Jon Horst said in a statement. “He’s a great teammate who brings a veteran presence with playoff experience.”
"I feel like we have a chance to win a championship." pic.twitter.com/DuJ5V9f2fs
— Milwaukee Bucks (@Bucks) March 19, 2021
Tucker is averaging 4.4 points, 4.6 rebounds and 1.4 assists this season.
Kurucs went from Brooklyn to Houston earlier this season as part of the deal for Harden.