WT: Giannis Antetokounmpo's Future With Bucks 'The Elephant In The Room' In NBA

[PushDaRock]

A trade for Giannis could be pretty tricky to get done, I think satisfying his desire to win while also getting back enough compensation to the Bucks will require threading the needle. I would have said the Knicks would be the most natural fit if they hadn't traded for Bridges. In the end, he might just end up picking where he wants to go and forcing the Bucks to just take what they can from that team.

[brownbobcat]

Maxey didn't extend so they could have a Max slot available which they ended up using for Paul George.

The Ayton situation was just weird, especially when they end up matching the Max Offer Sheet he got anyways. IQ was playing behind Brunson and they didn't want to give him starter money.

Market value for Williams and Holmgren is already set at the Rookie extension Max. Maybe you can make the case for wait and see on Holmgren because of the injury issues but overall it's just not worth the potential backlash. I expect Presti not to mess around and just get them locked up.

OKC is a small market team, Presti's hands might be tied in terms of having 3 max contracts on the books. I think that makes it more likely he'll try to play hardball with Chet

[Tor_Raps]

Why do you guys always do this to yourselves? Everytime some big time free agent's name comes up in the news you guys all get thirsty. No Big Time free agent's ever comes here. Nothing to see here.

We're hoping the Euro's are different than the American born players.

With that said, I doubt anyone is looking to come here after how this franchise has looked the past 5 years. We will need to prove with win on the court that we are actually worth another superstars time.

[mdenny]

The Bucks aren't gonna trade giannis for a bunch of late/mid first round picks and salary filler.

I heard the same thing about Harden and KD. Again, who's beating OKC's treasure chest? 30-35 picks over the next 7 years. These aren't crap either, they have Philly's top-6 protected pick this year, Utah's 2026 top-8 protected, Dallas 2028 unprotected swap, best of LAC/DEN 2027.

And it's a certainty that OKC extends Chet and Williams this summer. Can you cite any recent examples where such a player on their rookie contract didn't extend in the summer before their 4th season?

Sure, Tyrese Maxey. IQ and Ayton are other examples, although lesser players. All it takes is a GM willing to make an unpopular choice.

Maxey didn't extend so they could have a Max slot available which they ended up using for Paul George.

The Ayton situation was just weird, especially when they end up matching the Max Offer Sheet he got anyways. IQ was playing behind Brunson and they didn't want to give him starter money.

Market value for Williams and Holmgren is already set at the Rookie extension Max. Maybe you can make the case for wait and see on Holmgren because of the injury issues but overall it's just not worth the potential backlash. I expect Presti not to mess around and just get them locked up.

Yep. Zion got the summer extension. If chet doesn't...presti is playing with fire.

[mdenny]

Maxey didn't extend so they could have a Max slot available which they ended up using for Paul George.

The Ayton situation was just weird, especially when they end up matching the Max Offer Sheet he got anyways. IQ was playing behind Brunson and they didn't want to give him starter money.

Market value for Williams and Holmgren is already set at the Rookie extension Max. Maybe you can make the case for wait and see on Holmgren because of the injury issues but overall it's just not worth the potential backlash. I expect Presti not to mess around and just get them locked up.

OKC is a small market team, Presti's hands might be tied in terms of having 3 max contracts on the books. I think that makes it more likely he'll try to play hardball with Chet

Hardball with a number 1 overall?

It'd be a first in the current era. Not gonna happen.

[Pointgod]

The Pels own the Bucks upcoming picks and swaps, and Zion is still likely on the block. Whether directly, or in a 3 teamer, if the Bucks actually want to tank they'd have to get those picks back.

With KD/Booker. Maybe Embiid and KAT out there as well. A lot of possibilities for 3 team blockbusters.

This. Pels are a dark horse with Zion, and owning the Bucks pick and swap next year plus they have a lottery pick this year. They would be a trading partner that makes a lot of sense, especially if they can somehow rope in Portland to send back Milwaukee’s picks.

I doubt Giannis wants to go to New Orleans; who do they have left after Zion is gone?

Part of it isn’t about where Giannis wants to go. He’s guaranteed for two more seasons and can opt out of the third season. If Milwaukee trades him now, they have more of a say where he goes and they’ll get more value because a team is getting Giannis for at least 2 seasons.

Assuming the deal is built around Zion and picks, the remaining team is kind of bleak but they still have a ton of flexibility and picks to trade for a partner with Giannis

[mdenny]

No patience for a rebuild. When a possible opportunity is mentioned, people jump immediately, regardless of how likely it might be.

You dont need to rebuild if you have a chance to get Giannis and be a contender. Rebuilding is a waste of time if you can just... go get a superstar.

The tanking ppl just don't get it. By the time okc and Houston's windows are gone...they will say it's mismanagement.

Okc literally HAS to make a major trade in the next year or they are completely handcuffed. They will start losing players and draft picks without any return.

They don't have the cap luxuries to resign everyone. They don't have the roster spots to develop their picks.

[causal_fan]

Posters would have had the raptors sell the farm for Durant (how's that working for the Suns), for Dame (how's that working for the bucks) and now for Giannis which would leave the Raptors with very little talent to surround him with which is what Giannis is experiencing in Milwaukee. Until the Raptors demonstrate that they are ready to contend by making the playoffs and maybe winning a round or two, going big game hunting is a futile exercise .

[causal_fan]

No patience for a rebuild. When a possible opportunity is mentioned, people jump immediately, regardless of how likely it might be.

You dont need to rebuild if you have a chance to get Giannis and be a contender. Rebuilding is a waste of time if you can just... go get a superstar.

The tanking ppl just don't get it. By the time okc and Houston's windows are gone...they will say it's mismanagement.

Okc literally HAS to make a major trade in the next year or they are completely handcuffed. They will start losing players and draft picks without any return.

They don't have the cap luxuries to resign everyone. They don't have the roster spots to develop their picks.

OKC just has to continue doing what they are doing - will win a chip without Giannis/KD etc. and they can smartly keep trading upcoming draft picks for future picks to restock talent when it gets too expensive/unproductive or old.

[brownbobcat]

Yep. Zion got the summer extension. If chet doesn't...presti is playing with fire.

Hardball with a number 1 overall?

It'd be a first in the current era. Not gonna happen.

Uhh, you know it happened with Zion, right? He has a ton of conditional team opt-outs in his contract based on weight and games played.
Also, Chet wasn't #1 overall.
And you forgot about OKC and Harden?

[mdenny]

You dont need to rebuild if you have a chance to get Giannis and be a contender. Rebuilding is a waste of time if you can just... go get a superstar.

The tanking ppl just don't get it. By the time okc and Houston's windows are gone...they will say it's mismanagement.

Okc literally HAS to make a major trade in the next year or they are completely handcuffed. They will start losing players and draft picks without any return.

They don't have the cap luxuries to resign everyone. They don't have the roster spots to develop their picks.

OKC just has to continue doing what they are doing - will win a chip without Giannis/KD etc. and they can smartly keep trading upcoming draft picks for future picks to restock talent when it gets too expensive/unproductive or old.

Their current roster will cost more than 200 million after next season. The season after that it will cost more than 250 million.

So they can't "just keep doing what they are doing" unless their owner wants to pay all the associated luxury taxes. And he didn't want to do that under the old rules, when the lux taxes were much less.

They could've had kd/harden/Westbrook in their primes. But they started selling off pieces for nothing.

Next season is their last year. After that they lose hartenstein for nothing. They lose Dort for nothing. They will have to trade Caruso for expirings.

The reason they get nothing in return is that they won't be able to take back any salary.

Even then...they will still be in cap trouble.

Chet and Williams will both get max extensions. Shae will get the supermax the year after that. They have nowhere to go and no place to hide.

They have 2 chances to win a chip with this team. Now and next spring. (Assuming they don't make a big trade before next spring which they SHOULD)

But that's where presti has never gotten it right so far. The big trade at the right time.

[causal_fan]

The tanking ppl just don't get it. By the time okc and Houston's windows are gone...they will say it's mismanagement.

Okc literally HAS to make a major trade in the next year or they are completely handcuffed. They will start losing players and draft picks without any return.

They don't have the cap luxuries to resign everyone. They don't have the roster spots to develop their picks.

OKC just has to continue doing what they are doing - will win a chip without Giannis/KD etc. and they can smartly keep trading upcoming draft picks for future picks to restock talent when it gets too expensive/unproductive or old.

Their current roster will cost more than 200 million after next season. The season after that it will cost more than 250 million.

So they can't "just keep doing what they are doing" unless their owner wants to pay all the associated luxury taxes. And he didn't want to do that under the old rules, when the lux taxes were much less.

They could've had kd/harden/Westbrook in their primes. But they started selling off pieces for nothing.

I'd argue that they had some of the best years of KD/Harden/Westbrook including MVP years and they won nothing - they were right to move on - With the roster getting expensive just trade expensive talent for future picks, use picks to replenish cupboard and move on - Shia is the only guy I think OKC needs to extend - I really like how that franchise is being run.

[PushDaRock]

Yep. Zion got the summer extension. If chet doesn't...presti is playing with fire.

Hardball with a number 1 overall?

It'd be a first in the current era. Not gonna happen.

Uhh, you know it happened with Zion, right? He has a ton of conditional team opt-outs in his contract based on weight and games played.
Also, Chet wasn't #1 overall.
And you forgot about OKC and Harden?

I would say the Harden situation happening the way it did is exactly why they won't repeat that with Chet. The backlash would be tremendous.

[mdenny]

Yep. Zion got the summer extension. If chet doesn't...presti is playing with fire.

Hardball with a number 1 overall?

It'd be a first in the current era. Not gonna happen.

Uhh, you know it happened with Zion, right? He has a ton of conditional team opt-outs in his contract based on weight and games played.
Also, Chet wasn't #1 overall.
And you forgot about OKC and Harden?

I would say the Harden situation happening the way it did is exactly why they won't repeat that with Chet. The backlash would be tremendous.

It's ridiculous to debate this. If browncat thinks chet won't be extended this summer than fine. It's never gonna happen and it's ludricous to suggest it. But fine.

When he signs the extension we can stop talking about make-believe scenarios that will never happen. What would okc even be holding out for? Signing chet at a discount? Lol

They want to sign him to a suggs or jalen green extension?

Chet is getting the max. So is Williams. Done deals.

[TorontoBarneys]

Giannis would want to play with Scottie AND Ingram, not just Ingram, so even if Scottie outgoing makes the most sense from a deal perspective, it probably doesn't in terms of attracting Giannis and making him want to play here.

Maybe it looks something like Barrett, Poeltl, one of our wing prospects (Walter/Dick/Agbaji), our 2025 FRP, and then multiple future 1sts.

The problem is, it's another situation where we only get him for a short while. 2 years and then the PO comes up.

[wegotthabeet]

Posters would have had the raptors sell the farm for Durant (how's that working for the Suns), for Dame (how's that working for the bucks) and now for Giannis which would leave the Raptors with very little talent to surround him with which is what Giannis is experiencing in Milwaukee. Until the Raptors demonstrate that they are ready to contend by making the playoffs and maybe winning a round or two, going big game hunting is a futile exercise .

It’s a valid point. The Raptors are probably at least a couple of years away from this type of move and that’s assuming they hit on their pick this year and next.

The 2018 team had an 11 player rotation, i.e. players playing 15+ minutes per game. Our current team is 8 or 9 deep and would have to pay more in pick compensation.

[Los_29]

We’d have a significantly better roster than the Bucks even after trading for Giannis. Teams like the Rockets and Thunder have better assets but Presti has never taken any risks like this. Also, Thunder have a shot at winning a championship this year.

[brownbobcat]

It's ridiculous to debate this. If browncat thinks chet won't be extended this summer than fine. It's never gonna happen and it's ludricous to suggest it. But fine.

When he signs the extension we can stop talking about make-believe scenarios that will never happen. What would okc even be holding out for? Signing chet at a discount? Lol

You asked for an example and I showed you Maxey - arguably equivalent to Chet, so why is it ludicrous?

Chet is getting the max. So is Williams. Done deals.

Their current roster will cost more than 200 million after next season. The season after that it will cost more than 250 million.

So they can't "just keep doing what they are doing" unless their owner wants to pay all the associated luxury taxes. And he didn't want to do that under the old rules, when the lux taxes were much less.
[...]
Chet and Williams will both get max extensions. Shae will get the supermax the year after that. They have nowhere to go and no place to hide.

You are making zero sense and not realizing that you're arguing against yourself. You said it yourself - they probably can't afford luxury tax or even close, which means they have very good reasons not to max out Chet & Jalen right now.

[anotherhomer]

I think Houston or OKC probably gets him, they have more assets. But I think we're in the top 5 teams.

both teams make a lot of sense, that's why OKC signed Alex Caurso to a 20M deal to match the contract

[brownbobcat]

I would say the Harden situation happening the way it did is exactly why they won't repeat that with Chet. The backlash would be tremendous.

It's the same owners. They care about money more than backlash, and Chet/Jalen are not going to cause Luka-levels of backlash when the team is still good enough without them to do well.