The biggest name on the trade block is Giannis Antetokounmpo. The two-time MVP has been open to a trade away from the Milwaukee Bucks for quite some time now. He is currently sidelined with an injury, but he and the Bucks recently decided to look back into a possible trade.
As one of the best players in the NBA, it should take a huge haul to acquire Antetokounmpo. Only a handful of teams around the NBA have the assets to offer a fair package to Milwaukee, and the San Antonio Spurs are one of them. In a stacked Western Conference, the Spurs should take the gamble and trade for the Greek Freak, but what would a deal look like?
The Spurs can make a blockbuster move for Giannis Antetokounmpo
Spurs receive: Giannis Antetokounmpo
Bucks receive: Keldon Johnson, Harrison Barnes, Kelly Olynyk, 2027 first-round pick (via Hawks), 2028 first-round pick, 2030 first-round pick, 2032 first-round pick, four second-round picks
The Spurs proved that they are a legitimate threat when they made it all the way to the NBA Cup championship game. The team has each of the last two Rookie of the Year winners in Victor Wembanyama and Stephon Castle, the former of which is living up to his pre-draft billing and establishing himself as one of the best players in the NBA.
Dylan Harper, the number two overall pick, has flashed during his rookie season, too. A big reason why the Spurs have taken a step forward is that they traded for a veteran All-Star last year. An injury prevented De'Aaron Fox from making much of an impact last season, but he has helped the team become one of the best teams in the Western Conference this year.
The safe approach would be to let this core grow together, but the Spurs shouldn't be afraid to make another blockbuster move. A trade for Antetokounmpo would create the most physically gifted frontcourt duo in NBA history. Wembanyama is 7-foot-4, a perennial blocks leader, and has a unicorn skill set on offense. Antetokounmpo is an athletic specimen who is nearly impossible to stop inside. He has a Defensive Player of the Year nod in his own right, too.
A core featuring Antetokounmpo, Wembanyama, Fox, Castle, and Harper would make the Spurs immediate title contenders. The team could even push the Oklahoma City Thunder as the best team in the NBA. While the Spurs are somewhat mortgaging their future in this trade, they are able to hold on a bunch of their recent draftees in this deal, which is further reason to make the move.
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Would the Bucks trade Giannis Antetokounmpo to the Spurs?
Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) is held back by San Antonio Spurs forward Jeremy Sochan (10) during the second half at Frost Bank Center.
Scott Wachter-Imagn Images
The biggest barrier to an Antetokounmpo-to-San Antonio trade is that rumors suggest the Bucks might not trade the franchise legend to the biggest bidder. Instead, the Bucks plan to do right by Antetokounmpo and trade him to a spot where he wants to be, and Antetokounmpo wants to be in New York.
If Antetokounmpo changes his mind on where he wants to be, or if the Bucks decide to seek the biggest return they can for their star, then the Spurs are the most logical fit in the NBA. The Spurs still have a surplus of future draft picks, even after dealing for Fox last season.
Four first-round picks and four second-rounders would certainly help the Bucks rebuild and kick off post-Antetokounmpo life. While the Spurs would keep most of their core in this deal, Keldon Johnson would be a good get for the Bucks. Johnson's numbers have fallen off in recent years as he has taken on a smaller role, but Johnson is just 26 years old and has averaged over 20 points per game in the past.
With so little future draft capital of their own, it would make a lot of sense for the Bucks to seek a package that the Spurs can offer. A draft pick-rich trade makes more sense for the Bucks than one filled with players does. Trading a franchise icon like Antetokounmpo wouldn't be easy for the Bucks, but it would be easier if he went to the Western Conference and if the Bucks received a haul as big as this trade package in return for his services.