RealGM

Rockets receive Giannis Antetokounmpo
Houston lands their star to pair with Thompson, Green & Co.

Pelicans receive Lauri Markkanan
New Orleans packages assets to make another run with Zion. Can stay out of the tax.

Bucks receive Alpren Sengun, Reed Sheppard, #7, 2026 MIL 1st Swap return via NOP, 2027 MIL 1st Swap return via NOP, 2027 PHX 1st via HOU
Bucks get their picks back and some youth to build around.

Jazz receive CJ McCollum, Kelly Olynic, Jabari Smith, #10
Jazz get good value for Lauri and continue the tank.

I feel like Utah should be cut out and Sengun should go to New Orleans instead of Lauri. If Milwaukee trades Giannis they should just bottom out. Sengun might be enough to make the playoffs next year in the East.

babyjax13 wrote:I feel like Utah should be cut out and Sengun should go to New Orleans instead of Lauri. If Milwaukee trades Giannis they should just bottom out. Sengun might be enough to make the playoffs next year in the East.

But if the Pels do want to try a run with Zion then Lauri fits a lot better next to Zion.

Wait the Pelicans give up their lottery pick and the Bucks pick and the Bucks swap and all they get is Lauri? Why are they helping Houston get Giannis cheaper like this?

Sengun is a fool's gold player and Sheppard is pending major bust, the picks don't do it for me. Houston needs to give Amen+ or stop calling.

I think the key that alot of people miss with the Giannis deals is you have to pick a concise direction for the Bucks.
- If they are bottoming out, then you have too at least go get the NOP picks, but then not send them win now players, like Sengun. In their hands, those can both be guaranteed top 5 picks.
- If they are trying to be competitive for a while to ride out their pick debt, then there is no point in getting them their own picks back, vs any other random picks.

A cleaner baseline to do this for the bottoming out path would be something like
Sengun to NOP for 26 and 27 picks back (+other value)

MKE gets their two picks back which makes tanking viable, some prospect who can get throw into a high usage role the in a year 1 rebuild, that gives Bucks fans something to actually watch for (Reed, Whitmore, #10, #7, or whoever), and a couple other big upside assets that give MKE an advantage over other teams who are also starting to bottom out. In this scenario, some combination of Houston's Phx, BK and Dal future picks.

Milwaukee is scre@@d. Hoping to get bailed out. Asking for amen is overreaching. Three or five pieces make sense.
Jay can say no but reality says: yes

LarsV8 wrote:I think the key that alot of people miss with the Giannis deals is you have to pick a concise direction for the Bucks.
- If they are bottoming out, then you have too at least go get the NOP picks, but then not send them win now players, like Sengun. In their hands, those can both be guaranteed top 5 picks.
- If they are trying to be competitive for a while to ride out their pick debt, then there is no point in getting them their own picks back, vs any other random picks.

A cleaner baseline to do this for the bottoming out path would be something like
Sengun to NOP for 26 and 27 picks back (+other value)

MKE gets their two picks back which makes tanking viable, some prospect who can get throw into a high usage role the in a year 1 rebuild, that gives Bucks fans something to actually watch for (Reed, Whitmore, #10, #7, or whoever), and a couple other big upside assets that give MKE an advantage over other teams who are also starting to bottom out. In this scenario, some combination of Houston's Phx, BK and Dal future picks.

Brother, I’m not concerned that Sengun is so impactful to winning that he, Reed Sheppard and Kyle Kuzma go take over the East. That’s just hilarious.

Will they win a few more games because he is on the roster? Sure, but how much has having top four odds in the lottery mattered anyway? He is a good young player who can contribute to wining with a better roster. Bucks roster will be ****. See Lauri on Utah. Sengun is the kind of player you want to get with picks because he can probably be a three or maybe a two on a championship team some day down the road.

Texas Chuck wrote:Wait the Pelicans give up their lottery pick and the Bucks pick and the Bucks swap and all they get is Lauri? Why are they helping Houston get Giannis cheaper like this?

Yeah. Houston needs to send something else to them. That’s what’s missing. Send them a rockets future first? Whitmore? Both?

babyjax13 wrote:I feel like Utah should be cut out and Sengun should go to New Orleans instead of Lauri. If Milwaukee trades Giannis they should just bottom out. Sengun might be enough to make the playoffs next year in the East.

Sheppard, Porter Jr, Pat, Kuz and Sengun ain’t winning ****. Portis is out. This is a very tankable roster even with some FA additions.

babyjax13 wrote:I feel like Utah should be cut out and Sengun should go to New Orleans instead of Lauri. If Milwaukee trades Giannis they should just bottom out. Sengun might be enough to make the playoffs next year in the East.

I agree wholeheartedly.

I get the OP envisions Lauri as a great fit around a Zion-led team. But think he's overvalued him on that contract. 1) Ainge would prefer the MIL picks over that return package. 2) A Lauri trade package for NOP would top out at expirings (CJ, Olynyk) and pick #7. Hawkins if they want.

Like Lars said, Pels would prioritize getting Sengun over Lauri. Not the ideal spacing shooting pairing, but overall talent and contract- Sengun is a better fit. CJ plus the Bucks' swap and pick as the outgoing package. Could even move down from 7 to 10 to give MIL the higher pick this year. Don't think they should give up #7 outright along with the Bucks pick and swap, due to how valuable those are. If Murray is the outgoing salary instead of CJ- then including #7 can be in play.

J. Green and Bucks pick and swap plus many Houston/BKN/PHX picks, Whitmore, Reed and/or Jabari as needed- to Bucks. Giannis and CJ to HOU.

I understand the general concept (and I think this is partly driven by a NO fan having interest in Lauri), but this is overvaluing Lauri significantly (and Houston's mostly to benefit by getting Giannis a bit cheap).

I'd have Murray go to Utah in place of McCollum (NO would be trying to win next season). Also have NO keep #7. That gets the price for NO down to something reasonable.

Then have #10 to Mil, with the 2029 Phx 1st at least to Utah.

Seems like Lauri part isn't needed.

giberish wrote:I understand the general concept (and I think this is partly driven by a NO fan having interest in Lauri), but this is overvaluing Lauri significantly (and Houston's mostly to benefit by getting Giannis a bit cheap).

I'd have Murray go to Utah in place of McCollum (NO would be trying to win next season). Also have NO keep #7. That gets the price for NO down to something reasonable.

Then have #10 to Mil, with the 2029 Phx 1st at least to Utah.

I was thinking just sending #10 to Pels. Helps balance the value for Pels and Rockets.

zimpy27 wrote:Seems like Lauri part isn't needed.

Maybe but he is under control (important for NOP) and fits with the Pels core. Pels need more value for sure.

JayMKE wrote:Sengun is a fool's gold player and Sheppard is pending major bust, the picks don't do it for me. Houston needs to give Amen+ or stop calling.

THIS! If the Bucks are trading Giannis, the market for him is going to be massive! They will get a premium asset. Whatever team takes him will have to pay until it hurts. I'm not saying trading all stars or anything, but they will be emptying the cupboard...

YayBasketball wrote:I get the OP envisions Lauri as a great fit around a Zion-led team. But think he's overvalued him on that contract. 1) Ainge would prefer the MIL picks over that return package. 2) A Lauri trade package for NOP would top out at expirings (CJ, Olynyk) and pick #7. Hawkins if they want.

Like Lars said, Pels would prioritize getting Sengun over Lauri. Not the ideal spacing shooting pairing, but overall talent and contract- Sengun is a better fit. CJ plus the Bucks' swap and pick as the outgoing package. Could even move down from 7 to 10 to give MIL the higher pick this year. Don't think they should give up #7 outright along with the Bucks pick and swap, due to how valuable those are. If Murray is the outgoing salary instead of CJ- then including #7 can be in play.

J. Green and Bucks pick and swap plus many Houston/BKN/PHX picks, Whitmore, Reed and/or Jabari as needed- to Bucks. Giannis and CJ to HOU.

I’ll take Sengun over Lauri if I’m moving off of Zion but I agree that the Oels need more value from the rockets

Can someone explain why NOP would give up those picks for anyone other than Giannis? For NOP, the only thing more valuable than the Bucks picks, if Giannis is for sure getting traded, is Giannis himself.