MILWAUKEE (AP) -- The Milwaukee Bucks are missing four starters because of injuries, but general manager Larry Harris wants to send the message that they aren't giving up on the season.
Harris acquired point guard Earl Boykins in a three-player trade with Denver on Thursday, sending backup guard Steve Blake to the Nuggets for Boykins -- the second-shortest player in NBA history at 5-foot-5 -- and second-year guard/foward Julius Hodge.
After making the move, Harris challenged Bucks players to hold things together until March, when three of the four injured players, including leading scorer Michael Redd, should be back and the schedule turns favorable.
"We have to be in position to take advantage of that and not feel sorry for ourselves and really take it as a challenge," Harris said. "And you know what? Us against the world. Because a lot of teams are going to think that we're just going to die, and we're just going to quit. And I'm going to tell you, that's not going to happen."
Nuggets coach George Karl apparently wasn't happy about losing Boykins, who has stepped up his play as Denver's Carmelo Anthony and J.R. Smith were serving suspensions for their roles in a brawl against the New York Knicks.
Asked if he was in favor of the trade, Karl paused.
"I'm not going to comment," he said.
Later on, he added: "I'm not saying I feel rejected or was denied a voice. I'm not sure my voice was on the side of acceptance."
But Smith returned to the lineup on Wednesday night against San Antonio and Anthony will be back after four more games, making Boykins expendable. With Iverson joining Anthony in the lineup, trading Boykins for a player such as Blake who won't be expecting to get a lot of shots made sense.
"There's a finite amount of minutes and shots," Nuggets vice president of basketball operations Mark Warkentien said. "A classic point (guard) made sense to us."
Harris said Boykins immediately becomes the Bucks' starting point guard, now that Mo Williams is out for two to three weeks with a shoulder injury. Harris said Boykins should have a "seamless transition" into the Bucks' lineup, allowing them to regain the momentum they were building before the recent rash of injuries.
"The firepower and the excitement that he's going to bring, I think the fans are going to enjoy the way he plays," Harris said.
Milwaukee currently is playing with only member of its projected starting five, second-year center Andrew Bogut.
The Bucks announced Monday that Redd will be out four to six weeks with a knee injury, and they lost Williams for two to three weeks when he sprained his shoulder in the second quarter of a 104-92 loss at Denver on Monday night.
Forward Charlie Villanueva missed his fourth straight game against the Raptors with right shoulder tendinitis and is expected to be out at least another week, while forward Bobby Simmons is out for the year with foot and ankle injuries.
The Bucks received an injury exemption after losing Simmons, allowing Milwaukee to take on Boykins' salary without violating NBA salary cap rules. Milwaukee also received cash considerations from Denver as part of the deal.
The deal also created a $2.95 million trade exception for the Nuggets, since the team sent more salary to the Bucks than it received. Denver has a year to use the money, but it may be spent sooner rather than later.
"That gives us more flexibility at the trade deadline," Warkentien said.
Harris said Boykins has to attend a family funeral in West Virginia on Friday, but he hoped both he and Hodge would be able to join the team in time for their game in Philadelphia on Friday night.
Bucks guard Charlie Bell said Boykins' ability to create shots is "amazing" considering his height disadvantage.
"He's a great player," Bell said. "I'll be shocked, sometimes, how he's able to get his shot off."
Bucks coach Terry Stotts said Boykins' size shouldn't be too much of a liability on defense. Besides, Stotts said, "Let's face it: He's not coming to a defensive juggernaut."
Hodge, who played sparingly after the Nuggets took him with the 20th pick in the 2005 draft out of North Carolina State, is a free agent after the season.
He recently returned to Denver's lineup after being shot five times last April when a gunman pulled up alongside him, spraying his vehicle with bullets. Harris said he believed Hodge was completely healthy, although the Bucks waived the physical examination that usually must be completed before a trade goes through.
Boykins has an option on his existing contract for next season. Harris wasn't immediately sure how Boykins would fit into their long-term plans.
"We'll see how it all plays itself out," Harris said.
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Whoa.. Boykins traded to Bucks?!
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