Armed with one of the best players in league history still playing at an All-NBA level, the Milwaukee Bucks have looked semi-respectable, posting a mediocre 9-8 record.
Milwaukee has looked like one of the worst clubs in the NBA without two-time MVP power forward Giannis Antetokounmpo, however. The Bucks have gone just 2-8 in their 10 games sans Antetokounmpo.
Milwaukee’s most embarrassing defeat came at the hands of the 7-18 Brooklyn Nets on Sunday night, a 127-82 decimation that must have rival front offices salivating. Clearly, the longer Antetokounmpo sits, the more frequently his 11-16 Bucks will likely lose.
How much more of these outcomes he can take before begging to be traded to a more competent franchise remains anyone’s guess.
The 6-foot-11 big man has been on the shelf since Dec. 3 with a calf strain that is set to keep him sidelined for at least the next one-to-three weeks. He also missed time earlier this season with a groin strain.
Across 17 healthy games thus far this year (including the Bucks’ 113-109 victory against Detroit where Antetokounmpo lasted for all of three minutes before hurting his calf), the nine-time All-Star has been averaging 28.9 points on .639/.435/.635 shooting splits, 10.1 rebounds, 6.1 assists, 0.9 steals and 0.9 blocks per.
Bucks general manager Jon Horst, already anticipating a possible trade demand from his 2021 Finals MVP this summer, made some bold plays to shore up his roster. The riskiest move was Horst’s decision to stretch and waive injured nine-time All-Star point guard Damian Lillard’s remaining $112.6 million contract, so that he could create cap room to sign rim-rolling center Myles Turner to a four-year, $108.9 million free agency agreement. Horst also brought in free agent guard Cole Anthony to help off the bench, in addition to re-signing several key young pieces to below-market deals.
But it hasn’t been enough, and Milwaukee has suffered without the kind of perimeter defense and backcourt scoring that highlighted Antetokounmpo’s most successful years with the team.
Now, sources inform Eric Nehm of The Athletic that the Bucks have informed rival teams that they want to bring aboard more present-day help, in a seemingly last-ditch effort to retain Antetokounmpo.
Thanks to an indefinite absence for 3-and-D backup small forward Taurean Prince due to a neck surgery, the guard-heavy Bucks are clearly in need of more wing depth, Nehm notes.
Former two-time All-Star shooting guard Zach LaVine, now with the lowly Sacramento Kings, remains a name of interest, Nehm confirms. He won’t exactly help Milwaukee defensively, but he would certainly address their need for a supplemental creator and three-level scorer.
So what can Milwaukee trade?
For now, Horst is only able to offload one first-round draft selection ahead of the Feb. 5 trade deadline. Horst will have as many as three firsts to package in a deal on the night of the 2026 NBA Draft - if he can convince Antetokounmpo to wait that long.
Beyond Antetokounmpo’s maximum contract, the sizable deals of big men Turner and Bobby Portis Jr. could be on the block. Milwaukee would obviously love to be rid of forward Kyle Kuzma’s pricey deal, but it would need to affix a promising young piece and draft equity to any move designed to ditch Kuzma.
Newsweek