After failing to live up to expectations and suspension looming, the Washington Wizards traded Jodie Meeks to the Milwaukee Bucks on Monday. So what does that mean for his career?
While trying to make last minute preparations before the start of the 2019 season, the Washington Wizards made a little change to their roster late Monday afternoon.
According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, the Wizards have traded 10-year veteran Jodie Meeks to the Milwaukee Bucks. In exchange for a protected second-round pick, the Wizards will also send a future second-round pick and cash considerations to Milwaukee in the trade.
For the Wizards, the trade with the Buck is nothing more than a salary dump and a way to free up an additional spot on the roster. By receiving a protected second-round pick in the trade, the Wizards will have an opportunity to stockpile assets in the near future.
For Meeks, this trade may mark the end of what was a promising NBA career. The 31-year old shooting guard from the University of Kentucky made a name for himself as one of the league’s best three-point shooters and a reliable defender on the wing.
The best season of Meeks’ career came during the 2013-14 season as a member of the Los Angeles Lakers, where he averaged 15.7 points, 1.4 steals, while shooting 40.1 percent on 3-point field goal attempts.
After leaving Los Angeles during the summer of 2014, Meeks never recaptured the same success he experiences with the Lakers. Before signing with the Wizards last summer, Meeks was coming off two failed attempts as a member of the Detroit Pistons and Orlando Magic.
Although he was expected to help the Wizards contend for the title in the East, Meeks failed to live up to expectations as he averaged 6.3 points in 77 games.
Following his request at last season’s trade deadline, Meeks’ stint in Washington was filled with drama and uncertainty after he fell out of the team’s rotation. Unfortunately, the Wizards granted his request too little too late, as the Bucks are expected to waive Meeks once the trade is complete.
Although a free agent, it is going to be hard for a team to sign Meeks with his suspension looming. He is currently appealing a 25 game suspension after the NBA announced he violated its anti-drug policy.
Over the course of his career, the former second-round pick of the Bucks averaged 9.3 points, 2.1 rebounds, on 37.2 percent shooting from behind the arc across 531 games. To stay up to date on all things Wizards this season, be sure to follow Wiz of Awes throughout the season.