Around the NBA, front offices have been percolating for weeks over the possibility that star forward Giannis Antetokounmpo might ask out of Milwaukee, his home for his entire NBA career, and seek a trade to greener pastures. Things have not gone well for Milwaukee, which has been eliminated in the first round of the playoffs each of the past two seasons, and there's little home that the Bucks' situation can be turned around.
But there's still a chance that Antetokounmpo will give things another go with the Bucks, and for teams waiting on him to make a definitive decision, that's not easy.
"It is a difficult position to be in," one Eastern Conference general manager said. "Everybody now is making their plans for the draft, they're making decisions on players. I think in the ideal world, you get this done by the draft, if you're going to do it. Whether you're the Bucks or you're the team getting Giannis, you want to know at the draft where you're going.
"But you're on the player's timeline. That makes it difficult."
Giannis Antetokounmpo
Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo in the second half against the Indiana Pacers at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images
One team that might make some sense for Antetokounmpo is the Chicago Bulls, just 90 minutes south of the Greek Freak's current home. Antetokounmpo has hinted at an interest of playing for the Bulls in the past.
But Joe Cowley, Bulls beat reporter, has bad news for team GM Arturas Karnisovas and any Chicagoan hoping to bring Antetokounmpo down I-94: This roster is just not good enough.
Writes Cowley of the notion that Antetokounmpo could be dealt to the Bulls: "That’s a punch line at best."
He added that the Bulls would have packaged every asset they have to have gotten Luka Doncic when the Mavericks dealt him in February, but there was not nearly enough on hand.
"It’s the same situation for Antetokounmpo," Cowley wrote. "If the Thunder or the Rockets want to add Antetokounmpo, they have better talent and draft assets than the Bulls. The only benefit the Bulls would get out of a Giannis deal is to get him out of the East."
Antetokounmpo averaged 30.4 points on a remarkable 60.1% shooting, with 11.9 rebounds this season.