Bucks News, Transactions and Trade Ideas - 2025 Off-season

[machu46]

Sheppard/Thompson/2025 PHX 1st / 2026 HOU 2nd / 2028 HOU 1st / 2030 Hou 1st - Does anyone say no to that?

I'm hopeful that if Giannis asks out, we'll be able to do better than this, but Amen is obviously one of the top young guys to realistically target at this point.

[emunney]

So dramatic. Not having one possible lottery pick and two swaps with the Blazers is the scenario to be avoided at all costs? Come on. You'd think the argument that we need high lottery picks to build a winner would be a non-starter with fans of this specific franchise, but old habits die hard, I guess.

Not to mention that NBA teams can typically be a low lottery/play-in level team if they're not actively tanking.

Fans of this specific franchise should know this too.

But yes, tedbrogen, let's become the
Magic so we can avoid becoming the Bulls.

I think it's safe to say we're in a lot of trouble if we keep Giannis and he leaves in 2 years. In fact, it's safe to say we're in a lot of trouble right now.

Giannis walking *would* be a disaster, but it would be a disaster because we're losing Giannis, not because we failed to pick up whatever hodge-podge of lesser assets we would have gotten by trading Giannis. The disaster is losing Giannis, and you're not avoiding that by trading him now, you're catalyzing it.

[Matches Malone]

I'd be curious to know how Houston's front office views Giannis in comparison to Amen. If you were to gauge it from their fans perspective, they wouldn't even swap Amen for Giannis straight up. Guess they are still in that honeymoon overrate our young players phase with him still. He's got a chance to be very good, but a Giannis he is not and likely won't ever be.

[ReasonablySober]

I'd be curious to know how Houston's front office views Giannis in comparison to Amen. If you were to gauge it from their fans perspective, they wouldn't even swap Amen for Giannis straight up. Guess they are still in that honeymoon overrate our young players phase with him still. He's got a chance to be very good, but a Giannis he is not and likely won't ever be.

It's why I posed the Josh Smith comparison yesterday. I know they're not the same guys, but in terms of role on a theoretical contender aren't they kind of? Athletic forwards probably best suited to play the four, active defenders, insanely good athletes, neither can shoot or dribble, overrated a bit because they're still young. I just listened to Beck and Lowe talk about Thompson and they both feel like he's untouchable. If he is, to me that says Houston believes he's in the Wemby class of young guy who can be your 1A on a championship team and I've never really seen that with Amen.

[Matches Malone]

I'd be curious to know how Houston's front office views Giannis in comparison to Amen. If you were to gauge it from their fans perspective, they wouldn't even swap Amen for Giannis straight up. Guess they are still in that honeymoon overrate our young players phase with him still. He's got a chance to be very good, but a Giannis he is not and likely won't ever be.

It's why I posed the Josh Smith comparison yesterday. I know they're not the same guys, but in terms of role on a theoretical contender aren't they kind of? Athletic forwards probably best suited to play the four, active defenders, insanely good athletes, neither can shoot or dribble, overrated a bit because they're still young. I just listened to Beck and Lowe talk about Thompson and they both feel like he's untouchable. If he is, to me that says Houston believes he's in the Wemby class of young guy who can be your 1A on a championship team and I've never really seen that with Amen.

I think people want to think he's going to be the next young Kawhi because of how he is defensively, but he doesn't have the offensive game Leonard had at this age. The 3PT% and FT%'s need to come way up. Kawhi also had a decent handle and was smooth getting to the rack.

[Frank Nova]

Howard Beck is an absolute moron. Dude has never had a solid take that wasn’t just regurgitated by national media consensus.

[tedbrogen]

I'd be curious to know how Houston's front office views Giannis in comparison to Amen. If you were to gauge it from their fans perspective, they wouldn't even swap Amen for Giannis straight up. Guess they are still in that honeymoon overrate our young players phase with him still. He's got a chance to be very good, but a Giannis he is not and likely won't ever be.

I think the honeymoon ended when they lost in the first round because they had no superstar. You still need a top five guy to win a title.

[machu46]

I'd be curious to know how Houston's front office views Giannis in comparison to Amen. If you were to gauge it from their fans perspective, they wouldn't even swap Amen for Giannis straight up. Guess they are still in that honeymoon overrate our young players phase with him still. He's got a chance to be very good, but a Giannis he is not and likely won't ever be.

It's why I posed the Josh Smith comparison yesterday. I know they're not the same guys, but in terms of role on a theoretical contender aren't they kind of? Athletic forwards probably best suited to play the four, active defenders, insanely good athletes, neither can shoot or dribble, overrated a bit because they're still young. I just listened to Beck and Lowe talk about Thompson and they both feel like he's untouchable. If he is, to me that says Houston believes he's in the Wemby class of young guy who can be your 1A on a championship team and I've never really seen that with Amen.

My guess would be this is a part that Rockets fans strongly disagree with. He was drafted to potentially be their PG of the future and if he gets to that place, that combined with the All-Defense play probably makes him a perennial all star/potential All-NBA type of guy.

I do agree with you guys though; ultimately this is something a lot of fans tend to do. You get hyped about the guy you drafted and then they actually start doing spectacular things and you think you have the next superstar on your team and want to do everything in your power to hold on to that while adding more talent to the team. Can't say I blame them for feeling that way; that's how things like our infamous Jabari trade discussions happen.

I wouldn't necessarily say Houston is wrong if they ultimately decide they'd rather stick with their young guys vs. turning some of them into Giannis, but I'm sure the front office understands they aren't getting him without putting at least one of Sengun/Amen on the table, if not both.

[fansinceforever]

Not to mention that NBA teams can typically be a low lottery/play-in level team if they're not actively tanking.

Fans of this specific franchise should know this too.

But yes, tedbrogen, let's become the
Magic so we can avoid becoming the Bulls.

I think it's safe to say we're in a lot of trouble if we keep Giannis and he leaves in 2 years. In fact, it's safe to say we're in a lot of trouble right now.

Giannis walking *would* be a disaster, but it would be a disaster because we're losing Giannis, not because we failed to pick up whatever hodge-podge of lesser assets we would have gotten by trading Giannis. The disaster is losing Giannis, and you're not avoiding that by trading him now, you're catalyzing it.

I don't know, I'm pretty sure most would agree that losing him for zero assets in return would exacerbate the disaster...

Again, no on is talking about trading Giannis unless he asks out but there's a reason most understood that trading Giannis is how this story needed to end.

[Bernman]

I'm talking about trading him if he doesn't ask out, provided I like the returns I'm seeing, e.g..: Coop + good prospect + our picks back for absorbing a bad contract. Otherwise I would hold. But you're playing a dangerous game if you're just depending upon him to save you one way or another.

[fansinceforever]

I'm talking about trading him if he doesn't ask out, provided I like the returns I'm seeing, e.g..: Coop + good prospect + our picks back for absorbing a bad contract. Otherwise I would hold. But you're playing a dangerous game if you're just depending upon him to save you one way or another.

I mean, so am I lol but I'm trying to be realistic about what the Bucks might actually do.

Agreed on the rest too.

[th87]

Our draft capital or lack there of sucks. We’re totally screwed if Giannis leaves. Horst won’t be able to reload with DJ Wilsons and Marjons…

We are totally screwed if Horst cannot start drafting well, regardless of GA staying or not.

The alternative to trading him for an absolute haul of young talent and/or picks this offseason is bringing him back, surrounding him with a far worse team than this past season, and likely the same horrid coach. I love GA more than any athlete in the history of my life, but trading him makes more sense than keeping him.

Obviously, if he wants to stay, you aren't moving him. I"m talking about what is better for the franchise long-term. If he stays and walks, we are literally looking at the longest rebuild in probably the history of the league.

Again, trading him now gives you the opportunity to become Orlando in 2-3 years - not a serious contender, which is not worth selling the best player/person who has ever walked through Milwaukee's doors. He deserves to be Dirk, Kobe. This is about what our grandkids will see - "Has Milwaukee ever had a star who stayed his whole career?" "Yeah, Giannis."

Legacy stuff. Bigger than basketball. Will be talked about forever.

Zero interest in giving that up for second round ceilings in 3 years.

What are you guys afraid of? Essentially you're giving up our legacy and current ceiling to reach a lower theoretical future ceiling because you don't want to be mediocre in the future.

[Dick Tate]

Again, no on is talking about trading Giannis unless he asks out.

[Matches Malone]

Why is Doc Rivers still employed?

[fansinceforever]

Our draft capital or lack there of sucks. We’re totally screwed if Giannis leaves. Horst won’t be able to reload with DJ Wilsons and Marjons…

We are totally screwed if Horst cannot start drafting well, regardless of GA staying or not.

The alternative to trading him for an absolute haul of young talent and/or picks this offseason is bringing him back, surrounding him with a far worse team than this past season, and likely the same horrid coach. I love GA more than any athlete in the history of my life, but trading him makes more sense than keeping him.

Obviously, if he wants to stay, you aren't moving him. I"m talking about what is better for the franchise long-term. If he stays and walks, we are literally looking at the longest rebuild in probably the history of the league.

Again, trading him now gives you the opportunity to become Orlando in 2-3 years - not a serious contender, which is not worth selling the best player/person who has ever walked through Milwaukee's doors. He deserves to be Dirk, Kobe. This is about what our grandkids will see - "Has Milwaukee ever had a star who stayed his whole career?" "Yeah, Giannis."

Legacy stuff. Bigger than basketball. Will be talked about forever.

Zero interest in giving that up for second round ceilings in 3 years.

What are you guys afraid of? Essentially you're giving up our legacy and current ceiling to reach a lower theoretical future ceiling because you don't want to be mediocre in the future.

How have you already put a cap and timeframe on players that we haven't received yet, many of whom aren't even in the NBA?

[ReasonablySober]

Our draft capital or lack there of sucks. We’re totally screwed if Giannis leaves. Horst won’t be able to reload with DJ Wilsons and Marjons…

We are totally screwed if Horst cannot start drafting well, regardless of GA staying or not.

The alternative to trading him for an absolute haul of young talent and/or picks this offseason is bringing him back, surrounding him with a far worse team than this past season, and likely the same horrid coach. I love GA more than any athlete in the history of my life, but trading him makes more sense than keeping him.

Obviously, if he wants to stay, you aren't moving him. I"m talking about what is better for the franchise long-term. If he stays and walks, we are literally looking at the longest rebuild in probably the history of the league.

Again, trading him now gives you the opportunity to become Orlando in 2-3 years - not a serious contender, which is not worth selling the best player/person who has ever walked through Milwaukee's doors. He deserves to be Dirk, Kobe. This is about what our grandkids will see - "Has Milwaukee ever had a star who stayed his whole career?" "Yeah, Giannis."

Legacy stuff. Bigger than basketball. Will be talked about forever.

Zero interest in giving that up for second round ceilings in 3 years.

What are you guys afraid of? Essentially you're giving up our legacy and current ceiling to reach a lower theoretical future ceiling because you don't want to be mediocre in the future.

Favre and Rodgers left, two all-timers who played for (by far) the most popular franchise in the state. Giannis leaving will sting, but **** happens. Legacy doesn't mean anything. It's a stupid thing for fans to get worked up over. The team is what matters.

[th87]

We are totally screwed if Horst cannot start drafting well, regardless of GA staying or not.

The alternative to trading him for an absolute haul of young talent and/or picks this offseason is bringing him back, surrounding him with a far worse team than this past season, and likely the same horrid coach. I love GA more than any athlete in the history of my life, but trading him makes more sense than keeping him.

Obviously, if he wants to stay, you aren't moving him. I"m talking about what is better for the franchise long-term. If he stays and walks, we are literally looking at the longest rebuild in probably the history of the league.

Again, trading him now gives you the opportunity to become Orlando in 2-3 years - not a serious contender, which is not worth selling the best player/person who has ever walked through Milwaukee's doors. He deserves to be Dirk, Kobe. This is about what our grandkids will see - "Has Milwaukee ever had a star who stayed his whole career?" "Yeah, Giannis."

Legacy stuff. Bigger than basketball. Will be talked about forever.

Zero interest in giving that up for second round ceilings in 3 years.

What are you guys afraid of? Essentially you're giving up our legacy and current ceiling to reach a lower theoretical future ceiling because you don't want to be mediocre in the future.

How have you already put a cap and timeframe on players that we haven't received yet, many of whom aren't even in the NBA?

Just go through draft history. The vast majority of picks lower than 5 go on to become role players. Even within the top 5, superstar potential is rare.

How many top 5 picks are we getting?

[Frank Nova]

What’s better for the team than 30/10/5 on historical efficiency and all pro defense year after year? I’m missing something there from ppl really advocating that trading Giannis is what’s best for the franchise. I like all the hypothetical situations where everyone is insanely confident that the best possible outcome is the only outcome possible. It’s rich stuff.

[Dick Tate]

Again, trading him now gives you the opportunity to become Orlando in 2-3 years - not a serious contender, which is not worth selling the best player/person who has ever walked through Milwaukee's doors. He deserves to be Dirk, Kobe. This is about what our grandkids will see - "Has Milwaukee ever had a star who stayed his whole career?" "Yeah, Giannis."

Legacy stuff. Bigger than basketball. Will be talked about forever.

Zero interest in giving that up for second round ceilings in 3 years.

What are you guys afraid of? Essentially you're giving up our legacy and current ceiling to reach a lower theoretical future ceiling because you don't want to be mediocre in the future.

How have you already put a cap and timeframe on players that we haven't received yet, many of whom aren't even in the NBA?

Just go through draft history. The vast majority of picks lower than 5 go on to become role players. Even within the top 5, superstar potential is rare.

How many top 5 picks are we getting?

Yep, Orlando or Sacramento, take your pick. That's the feeling i'm getting from these Giannis trade scenarios.

[ReasonablySober]

What’s better for the team than 30/10/5 on historical efficiency and all pro defense year after year? I’m missing something there from ppl really advocating that trading Giannis is what’s best for the franchise. I like all the hypothetical situations where everyone is insanely confident that the best possible outcome is the only outcome possible. It’s rich stuff.

People aren't convinced that a tear down is the best possible outcome. They're convinced that keeping Giannis is a guaranteed terrible outcome. There is no possible way to contention by keeping Giannis. If trading away AJJ and all the Bucks' picks wasn't the nail in the coffin, then Lillard's injury was.

It's over. We're now in the late-stage era of the KG Wolves. An MVP caliber 30 year old doomed to a non-free agency destination of a organization without any assets. No one is arguing that it's going to be an easy rebuild with guaranteed success. It's just that it's the only option with at least some hope.