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

[GoldenAntlers]

What if in midseason we:

canned Doc for Prunty on the cheap
traded Dame for Fox
traded Pat/Smith/Ajax/'31 2nd for apron relief
traded Marjon for KPJ
traded Sims for Wright & cash
pitched Javonte Green on possibly starting v. riding pine in Cleveland
kept AJJ & Midds

How much better do we feel about things for the present & future?

You're hurting my feelings.

[machu46]

I don't want to trade Giannis, I don't think he'd publicly demand a trade but I wouldn't be surprised if behind closed doors they came to the agreement that it would be best to move on.

I kinda agree, but I also kinda wonder if the fallout from the Luka trade impacts the team's willingness to pretend it's their idea to proactively trade him with him pretending he would have stayed. Don't necessarily think it should impact it, but I kinda wonder if it does.

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[Bernman]

Stretching Dame gives us like 34M in cap space, right?

20M to Grimes, 14 to Kuminga?

I think Kuminga sucks, but also think he’s a fine change of scenery candidate.

I don’t think either of those contracts would be negative value to trade in the future (Kuzma is currently making more), and they have some upside. Grimes you just want to see if he can continue doing what he did in Philly, but even if he’s just a 14/4/4 guy with capable defense that’s still something of value.

Idk, this is the stuff I’m trying to sort through now.

Those are halfcourt shots. Of course you know I want to trade Giannis now. But for the Dame part independently, stretching him would be gross because it just elongates the problem. Larry Sanders just wouldn't go away. And also, we can flip the Dame problem into a solution in a yr & a half by providing a team a huge amount of apron/tax/cap relief in exchange multiple 1sts and/or prospects. Ya know, things we don't have.

[ReasonablySober]

Stretching Dame gives us like 34M in cap space, right?

20M to Grimes, 14 to Kuminga?

I think Kuminga sucks, but also think he’s a fine change of scenery candidate.

I don’t think either of those contracts would be negative value to trade in the future (Kuzma is currently making more), and they have some upside. Grimes you just want to see if he can continue doing what he did in Philly, but even if he’s just a 14/4/4 guy with capable defense that’s still something of value.

Idk, this is the stuff I’m trying to sort through now.

Those are halfcourt shots. Of course you know I want to trade Giannis now. But for the Dame part independently, stretching him would be gross because it just elongates the problem. Larry Sanders just wouldn't go away. And also, we can flip the Dame problem into a solution in a yr & a half by providing a team a huge amount of apron/tax/cap relief in exchange multiple 1sts and/or prospects. Ya know, things we don't have.

Yup. There's nothing that can be done with the cap space that automatically makes the team to a contender. Stretching Dame would be really, really dumn.

[Baddy Chuck]

How much does Atlanta trade to pair Trae with a superstar finally? Everything?

[MuckyFingers]

My interest tailed off in a huge way this season, but I can safely say that if the Bucks keep Giannis there's really no chance I'm tuning in next season. Moving him is literally the only way to garner interest as far as I can tell. If you can't sell wins, you have to at least sell hope. This team with Giannis back won't be able to sell either. But if you can bring back an absolutely massive haul (and that's what Giannis should get back), I think you can sell that to the public.

even last night Giannis was a wonder to watch. he had like three incredible plays. I would still tune in and watch him every time he dresses up. agree about the casuals not caring. they definitely won't care with a lesser star

The Bucks were 13-5 with Giannis but no Dame. We'll have a new coach next year. It blows my mind not to want to watch this team.

For whatever it’s worth, Eric Nehm told Sparky today that he thinks that Doc will be back next season. Talk about demoralizing a fanbase if this were to happen.

[WeMajor34]

IF we trade Giannis (I wouldn’t), we would have to attach at least Kuzma and Pat to him in any deal. Yes, that may mean we lose out on a first or a handful of seconds in our draft capital haul, but clearing the books should be a secondary priority in any potential trade next to recouping draft assets/young players.

On the Simmons/Russillo pod, they floated out an idea where Brooklyn has to take both Giannis AND Dame in a trade. Not a bad idea in order to take advantage of any desperate teams, even though it is a bit unrealistic.

I don’t think Giannis is going to be traded this summer. It may be talked about internally, but I really think Giannis’ loyalty will come through again in this extended rough patch. I selfishly want him in Milwaukee. I know him leaving could do wonders for the latter stage of his career, but I sure would love our guy to retire a Buck.

[German Athens]

It would be beyond comprehension to keep Doc.

[Jackhammer3375]

Do not want to trade Giannis unless he requests it.
Best I can come up with for now...

Houston - Giannis
NO - Sengun
Milwaukee - McCollum, Sheppard, Jabari Smith, 2025 #9, MIL 2026 1st, MIL 2027 1st, best 2 of Hou/Phx/Brk 2027 1sts, best 2 of Hou/Phx/Dal 2029 1sts

[paulpressey25]

If we trade Giannis we do not need cap space. Please do not attach Dame, Pat or Kuzma.

Free agents are not signing here. And teams that need to duck aprons will not give us as much as we’d give up in a Giannis trade to attach bad contracts.

[paulpressey25]

Do not want to trade Giannis unless he requests it.
Best I can come up with for now...

Houston - Giannis
NO - Sengun
Milwaukee - McCollum, Sheppard, Jabari Smith, 2025 #9, MIL 2026 1st, MIL 2027 1st, best 2 of Hou/Phx/Brk 2027 1sts, best 2 of Hou/Phx/Dal 2029 1sts

This would be my third favorite trade idea. Well done.

[Thunder Muscle]

Can we call up Seattle and offer the Bucks for the Kraken?

[ShootingtheJ]

IF we trade Giannis (I wouldn’t), we would have to attach at least Kuzma and Pat to him in any deal. Yes, that may mean we lose out on a first or a handful of seconds in our draft capital haul, but clearing the books should be a secondary priority in any potential trade next to recouping draft assets/young players.

On the Simmons/Russillo pod, they floated out an idea where Brooklyn has to take both Giannis AND Dame in a trade. Not a bad idea in order to take advantage of any desperate teams, even though it is a bit unrealistic.

I don’t think Giannis is going to be traded this summer. It may be talked about internally, but I really think Giannis’ loyalty will come through again in this extended rough patch. I selfishly want him in Milwaukee. I know him leaving could do wonders for the latter stage of his career, but I sure would love our guy to retire a Buck.

If we're trading Giannis, there's zero reason to clear salary.

[ShootingtheJ]

Next season could be the 1st year in Giannis career that he's surrounded with athletes. Need some additions on the wing, but this could be fun.

[RiotPunch]

Attaching bad salary to Giannis would be possibly the most idiotic approach we could take. It's about extracting the most value possible. Asking a team to take on that salary only lessens the actual value to get back. Who gives a **** if Dame and Kuz are still on the books if we're rebuilding post-Giannis? If anything we should be willing to take on more bad salary in a Giannis deal.

[th87]

To me, it's pretty simple. If Giannis requests a trade, we trade him. If he doesn't, we don't (and do our best to create a more cohesive team around him).

I think this has generally always been the case, so you're saying nothing changes, really.

What I think needs to be different now is that we should be having a real honest conversation with ourselves (as the FO) and Giannis about what the future actually looks like, including the fact that 'our best to create a more cohesive team' is going to be really freaking hard. That's not to encourage him to ask out, but rather to ensure you are sure as **** he won't two years from now when things very very presumably don't turn around. Because if he truly wants to stick it out, great, I'll watch him and hope for the best as long as I can, but I fear he's eventually going to want to call it (totally understandably tbh) and we'll be in a much worse place to recoup assets.

I think this will be the loyalty test from both sides to stay together.

Some considerations:
- it took 50 years for us to find someone as good as KAJ
- it may take 50 more years to find someone as good as Giannis
- solid players may take discounts to play with Giannis (e.g. Trent)
- trading him may relegate us to FTD year ceilings, like old times

Looking back on the 2018-2019 roster, our non-Giannis core players were acquired:
- Middleton: as a throw-in in the Knight trade (sure it took some time to bake)
- Bledsoe: via bad contract, future first
- Lopez: as an unwanted FA for cheap
- Brogdon: via second round pick
- Connaughton: as a cheap FA

This team was an overtime away from a likely title.

And none of these core guys required major assets we don't currently have or couldn't get. Just great moves on the margins.

There is no reason we couldn't do it again.

[JayMKE]

There is no future without Giannis, we don’t own our draft picks and Horst can’t find talent for **** anyways. Nothing we can trade Giannis for is going to make this team a contender in the next 5 years, there is no retooling and this team is going to be so **** awful to watch might seriously start thinking Seattle. There is a better chance of the stars aligning for a 40 year old Giannis than the poo poo platter rebuild powered by John Horst and Jimmy Haslam.

Get a decent coach and just put defense, shooting, athleticism around Giannis and hope for the best. At least hope for a team that isn’t awful to watch

[drew881]

Next season could be the 1st year in Giannis career that he's surrounded with athletes. Need some additions on the wing, but this could be fun.

Could have had a KPJ/AJJohnson guard rotation.

[tydett]

I think winning is important to Giannis, but I also think being the Franchise icon is also as important to him. I think you can sell him on sticking around and trying the best to put competition around him, but also admitting that he could just be the bridge to the next group of players, showing them the "Bucks' way" that he helps shape. Can even bring back Thanasis if we're feeling nasty.

[rilamann]

To me, it's pretty simple. If Giannis requests a trade, we trade him. If he doesn't, we don't (and do our best to create a more cohesive team around him).

I think this has generally always been the case, so you're saying nothing changes, really.

What I think needs to be different now is that we should be having a real honest conversation with ourselves (as the FO) and Giannis about what the future actually looks like, including the fact that 'our best to create a more cohesive team' is going to be really freaking hard. That's not to encourage him to ask out, but rather to ensure you are sure as **** he won't two years from now when things very very presumably don't turn around. Because if he truly wants to stick it out, great, I'll watch him and hope for the best as long as I can, but I fear he's eventually going to want to call it (totally understandably tbh) and we'll be in a much worse place to recoup assets.

I think this will be the loyalty test from both sides to stay together.

Some considerations:
- it took 50 years for us to find someone as good as KAJ
- it may take 50 more years to find someone as good as Giannis
- solid players may take discounts to play with Giannis (e.g. Trent)
- trading him may relegate us to FTD year ceilings, like old times

Looking back on the 2018-2019 roster, our non-Giannis core players were acquired:
- Middleton: as a throw-in in the Knight trade (sure it took some time to bake)
- Bledsoe: via bad contract, future first
- Lopez: as an unwanted FA for cheap
- Brogdon: via second round pick
- Connaughton: as a cheap FA

This team was an overtime away from a likely title.

And none of these core guys required major assets we don't currently have or couldn't get. Just great moves on the margins.

There is no reason we couldn't do it again.

Great post.

IMO, even if you made no roster moves and simply just replaced Doc with a competent head coach, the Bucks are immediately in contention for the #3 seed and are a team that could beat the Pacers or Knicks and at least give the Cavs and Celtics a series.

The people who thought I was a pessimistic jerk 6 months ago because I thought the Bucks would only win 50 games and only had a 2nd round ceiling, are probably going to think I am crazy for having such high exceptions if we simply just replaced Doc.

But I digress.....lol.

Entertaining the idea of trading Giannis because we sucked under Doc Rivers is pure insanity. Doc Rivers is a joke. I feel like I am in a fever dream reading some these posts.