Bucks.com on the trade

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MILWAUKEE, Aug. 2 -- The Milwaukee Bucks have acquired Toni Kukoc, Leon Smith and a 2003 first-round draft pick from the Atlanta Hawks in exchange for Glenn Robinson, General Manager Ernie Grunfeld announced Friday.

Kukoc, a three-time NBA champion with the Chicago Bulls, has averaged 13.3 points, 4.6 rebounds and 4.0 assists per game during nine seasons with the Bulls, Philadelphia 76ers and Hawks. Smith, a 6-10 forward, averaged 2.2 ppg as a rookie with the Hawks in 2001-02.

"Toni gives our coaching staff another versatile player, a playoff-proven leader who handles the ball well and distributes the ball well for a man his size," Grunfeld said. "As importantly, this trade provides an opportunity for Tim Thomas and some of our other young players to make a greater contribution to our success."

Kukoc, 33, was the NBA's Top Sixth Man in 1995-96, averaging 13.1 ppg for a Bulls team that went an NBA-best 72-10 en route to the first of three straight NBA titles. Last season with Atlanta, he averaged 9.9 points, 3.7 rebounds and 3.6 assists per game.

Robinson played eight seasons for Milwaukee after being selected first overall by the Bucks in 1994. He climbed to second on the Bucks' all-time scoring list on March 6, passing Sidney Moncrief. His 12,010 career points trail only Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (14,211). Robinson is also among the Bucks top 10 all-time leaders in 12 other categories, including points per game (second, 21.1) and rebounds (fifth, 3,519).

"It would be impossible to make this deal without recognizing Glenn Robinson's contributions to the organization for the last eight seasons," Grunfeld said. "He arrived during the lean years and helped lead the franchise back to respectability as one of the game's most skilled scorers. We wish him the same success in Atlanta."

Only six players have played more games in a Bucks uniform than Robinson, a two-time All-Star with the Bucks in 2000 and 2001.

"There's no question that Glenn has been a very important part of our success these past four seasons," said Bucks Head Coach George Karl, "but the consensus was that we had to shake things up to avoid being complacent. This is a deal that gives us another versatile player, a veteran who can come in here and lead by example, play hard and help us play like an elite team."

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