Damian Lillard, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Bucks
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Milwaukee Bucks star duo Damian Lillard and Giannis Antetokounmpo might be headed for a breakup this summer.
The Milwaukee Bucks have made two big swings in the past — the Jrue Holiday trade in 2020 and the Damian Lillard trade in 2023 — to keep Giannis Antetokounmpo happy.
The Holiday trade led to their first championship in 50 years, while the Lillard trade helped them convince Antetokounmpo to extend. But those two all-in trades mortgaged the Bucks’ future.
Now, they only have one first-round pick left in their draft capital to swing another one as Antetokounmpo’s time in Milwaukee begins ticking. But there is one desperate trade they could make, Bleacher Report’s Dan Favale proposed.
Here is Favale’s trade proposal:
Phoenix Suns Receive: Damian Lillard, Milwaukee’s 2031 first-round pick, Milwaukee’s 2031 second-round pick
Milwaukee Bucks Receive: Bradley Beal (no-trade clause)
Utah Jazz Receive: Chris Livingston, 2026 second-round pick (less favorable of Denver and Golden State, via Phoenix)
“Make no mistake, it would be a desperation move. If it’s enough to buy more time with Giannis, though, it’s worth the risk. Especially when the Eastern Conference figures to be wide-open next year following Jayson Tatum‘s Achilles injury,” Favale wrote.
This proposed deal, however, is as complex as it gets.
The Bucks and the Phoenix Suns have to convince Beal to waive his no-trade clause. The Bucks also have to convince Antetokounmpo that Beal is still a good No. 2 option despite his decline over the last two seasons.
“Whether Beal would waive his no-trade clause to play in Milwaukee is debatable. This deal might keep Giannis in town through next season. The uncertainty after that could dissuade Beal from joining the cause. Still, if presented with the chance to play with Antetokounmpo and be a more central part of the offense, you’d have to believe he’d at least think about it,” Favale wrote.
Pivotal Giannis-Bucks Meeting Set
Giannis Antetokounmpo, Bucks
Getty Giannis Antetokounmpo contemplates his future with the Milwaukee Bucks.
NBA insider Chris Haynes reported on Sunday that a meeting has already been scheduled that will determine Antetokounmpo’s future and the direction of the franchise.
“I was told the Bucks made contact with Giannis Antetokounmpo early this morning and sources relayed to me that a meeting is expected to be scheduled for mid-next week,” Haynes said. “This is where Giannis is going to have a chance to speak with Bucks brass and talk about the direction of the team.
“There’s a lot going on with the Bucks this offseason. Knowing Giannis personally, one of the toughest competitors we have in this league. A guy who has great ambition. He wants multiple championships. That’s all he wants to do. To be put in a position where he can play alongside a team that has a chance to fight for a title. This is going to be a very, very crucial meeting next week.”
Giannis Open to Trade Possibilities
Not long after the Bucks’ third straight first-round exit, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported that Antetokounmpo is now keeping his options open unlike in the past that he was firm in his commitment to remain in Milwaukee.
The two-time NBA MVP has not made any firm decisions on his Bucks future after the franchise’s third consecutive postseason exit in the first round, but, for the first time in his career, Antetokounmpo is open-minded about exploring whether his best long-term fit is remaining in Milwaukee or playing elsewhere, league sources told ESPN.
Teams have approached the Bucks frequently over the years about the availability of Antetokounmpo as a normal exercise, and they are expected to ramp up due diligence during combine week, according to league sources.
But any conversations surrounding the perennial All-NBA superstar and 2021 NBA champion start primarily with where he believes his long-term future lies and whether there is a franchise outside of Milwaukee that is sensible for him.
Antetokounmpo’s max three-year, $186 million extension (last year is a player option) kicks in next season, giving the team who are interested to trade for him the guarantee of having him for at least the next two seasons.