The Milwaukee Bucks have worked tirelessly this offseason to stay in title contention and keep Giannis Antetokounmpo satisfied following their recent postseason struggles.
After losing in the first round of the playoffs for the third consecutive season, trade speculation surrounding Antetokounmpo began to swirl rapidly. A report from Shams Charania of ESPN on Aug. 4 indicated that the superstar forward will continue to weigh his options, although it still appears unlikely Milwaukee will move its franchise cornerstone.
The club made a series of desperate moves this summer to keep Antetokounmpo in Milwaukee, including waiving and stretching the remaining $113 million on Damian Lillard’s contract over the next five years to create cap space for Myles Turner.
The Bucks could flip Antetokounmpo for future assets
If the retooled Bucks are unable to make any significant noise this season — or if Antetokounmpo requests a trade before the deadline — Milwaukee could look to move him for future assets and begin a rebuild.
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Dave Holcomb of SI.com recently put together a mock trade that would send the two-time MVP to one of the Bucks’ fiercest rivals, the Detroit Pistons.
Here’s Holcomb’s proposed trade:
Bucks receive: Tobias Harris, Jaden Ivey, Jalen Duren, four first-round picks
Pistons receive: Giannis Antetokounmpo
The Bucks would almost certainly have several suitors if they chose to part with the nine-time All-Star. The San Antonio Spurs, New York Knicks, Los Angeles Lakers, Brooklyn Nets and Miami Heat are all among the teams who have previously been linked to Antetokounmpo.
The Pistons, meanwhile, are a rising team who are expected to build around Cade Cunningham and Ausar Thompson. Adding Antetokounmpo at power forward would be a massive upgrade over Harris, though the club would have to rely on Isaiah Stewart at center.
Milwaukee would acquire intriguing pieces in return. Ivey is set to become a restricted free agent after the 2025-26 campaign, but Milwaukee could look to lock him into a long-term deal as part of its rebuild. The Bucks would also land a promising young big man in Duren, who is also set to become a restricted free agent after this season and has averaged a double-double on 65.5 percent shooting over the past two seasons.
Antetokounmpo isn’t expected to go anywhere for now, but things can change quickly in the NBA — especially if his desire to win another title outweighs his loyalty to Milwaukee.
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