On a blustery day in January, D.C. United added Syracuse’s Julian Buescher to their midfield. It wasn’t a straightforward pick: United sent targeted allocation money to Sporting Kansas City to get the #11 pick and snag the former Germany under-18 national team player before KC or the Chicago Fire (who were up at #12) could select him instead.
They quickly replenished their TAM stocks by moving the #13 they entered the Baltimore Convention Center with in a trade with Orlando City, and it felt like United had once again gotten their man.