What if Giannis chooses and Toronto on short list - Does this change Conversation?

[Clutch0z24]

Giannis even if he says Toronto and only Toronto (Not happening)....Giannis is under contract and is not a free agent....Bucks do NOT need to accept a low ball offer for their only superstar top 5 player they will prolly ever have for a long time if ever again.....They are going to get the best package/players they can out of Giannis because they do NOT control their own picks....Which means if they do not get a haul for Giannis their franchise would be in the dumps with nothing to show for...

Think of it in Bucks perspective before typing weird trade scenarios out....We prolly have to give up RJ + Barnes + Dick or Walter + Treasure chest of draft picks....We are not going to be able to low ball them cause we do not hold the leverage in the situation because Giannis is NOT a free agent and Bucks don't have to trade him here if we low ball them....Its not like a Siakam Situation where we either trade him to the Pacers for something or hes going to the Pacers in free agency for nothing...

There's another dynamic that pulls in the opposite direction.

Giannis has a lot more control than you are presenting here. If giannis doesn't give his blessing to be traded to a team....then he's a 2 year rental. Noone wants to give up the kind of package it will take for a 2 year rental.

So the big package you are talking about won't exist from a team unless Giannis shows indication that he wants to be there and will extend his contract next summer.

Suppose giannis specifically says "I don't want to go to okc". Do you think they would trade chet, IH and 5 first rounders for a 2 year rental?

So it's NOT just about the Bucks taking the biggest package because Noone will OFFER a big package unless Giannis indicates he will play there for multiple years (and will sign an extension next summer).

Sure but this is hypothetical...The chances of Giannis saying he won't play for a potential championship dynasty (If he were to join the OKC) or Spurs with Wemby vs a team that would still have lots of holes in the Raptors sounds a little off......We traded for Kawhi knowing he was a 1 year rental....These players don't come around very often...Some front offices are fine taking the gamble and get Giannis in their team for 2 years and try and convince him to stay after...

I don't think Giannis is gonna sign an extension or give word he will because he will prolly just play out his contract wherever he goes and make a decision based on how them years go....But yes in this unrealistic world where Giannis says Raptors or im not playing next season....That could lower the cost...But you are still giving up Barnes + All your draft picks regardless lol....Or the Bucks just keep him for 2 years if the package is a lowball...They don't have to trade him and since hes not a free agent they don't have to accept a low ball offer and can keep him....They are not taking low ball offers with no control of their own draft picks just to have a horrible team with no good picks to make up for it....Or they just keep Giannis and make a playoff push to get playoff revenue for the next 2 years...and trade him on his contract year for a low ball offer...

[mdenny]

Giannis even if he says Toronto and only Toronto (Not happening)....Giannis is under contract and is not a free agent....Bucks do NOT need to accept a low ball offer for their only superstar top 5 player they will prolly ever have for a long time if ever again.....They are going to get the best package/players they can out of Giannis because they do NOT control their own picks....Which means if they do not get a haul for Giannis their franchise would be in the dumps with nothing to show for...

Think of it in Bucks perspective before typing weird trade scenarios out....We prolly have to give up RJ + Barnes + Dick or Walter + Treasure chest of draft picks....We are not going to be able to low ball them cause we do not hold the leverage in the situation because Giannis is NOT a free agent and Bucks don't have to trade him here if we low ball them....Its not like a Siakam Situation where we either trade him to the Pacers for something or hes going to the Pacers in free agency for nothing...

There's another dynamic that pulls in the opposite direction.

Giannis has a lot more control than you are presenting here. If giannis doesn't give his blessing to be traded to a team....then he's a 2 year rental. Noone wants to give up the kind of package it will take for a 2 year rental.

So the big package you are talking about won't exist from a team unless Giannis shows indication that he wants to be there and will extend his contract next summer.

Suppose giannis specifically says "I don't want to go to okc". Do you think they would trade chet, IH and 5 first rounders for a 2 year rental?

So it's NOT just about the Bucks taking the biggest package because Noone will OFFER a big package unless Giannis indicates he will play there for multiple years (and will sign an extension next summer).

Sure but this is hypothetical...The chances of Giannis saying he won't play for a potential championship dynasty (If he were to join the OKC) or Spurs with Wemby vs a team that would still have lots of holes in the Raptors sounds a little off......We traded for Kawhi knowing he was a 1 year rental....These players don't come around very often...Some front offices are fine taking the gamble and get Giannis in their team for 2 years and try and convince him to stay after...

I don't think Giannis is gonna sign an extension or give word he will because he will prolly just play out his contract wherever he goes and make a decision based on how them years go....But yes in this unrealistic world where Giannis says Raptors or im not playing next season....That could lower the cost...But you are still giving up Barnes + All your draft picks regardless lol....Or the Bucks just keep him for 2 years if the package is a lowball...They don't have to trade him and since hes not a free agent they don't have to accept a low ball offer and can keep him...

The point is....if giannis has a shortlist of 2 teams, the bucks will be forced to work with those two teams. He absolutely has a huge say in where he goes.

If he had 4, maybe even 3 years left on his contract it would be an entire different story and you'd be right....the Bucks could shop him freely and not much he could do about it. This is why players don't typically request trades when they have a long term left on their contracts. It means they have no control over where they go.

No team is gonna give up multiple draft picks and blue chip prospects for a 2 year rental.

[Clutch0z24]

There's another dynamic that pulls in the opposite direction.

Giannis has a lot more control than you are presenting here. If giannis doesn't give his blessing to be traded to a team....then he's a 2 year rental. Noone wants to give up the kind of package it will take for a 2 year rental.

So the big package you are talking about won't exist from a team unless Giannis shows indication that he wants to be there and will extend his contract next summer.

Suppose giannis specifically says "I don't want to go to okc". Do you think they would trade chet, IH and 5 first rounders for a 2 year rental?

So it's NOT just about the Bucks taking the biggest package because Noone will OFFER a big package unless Giannis indicates he will play there for multiple years (and will sign an extension next summer).

Sure but this is hypothetical...The chances of Giannis saying he won't play for a potential championship dynasty (If he were to join the OKC) or Spurs with Wemby vs a team that would still have lots of holes in the Raptors sounds a little off......We traded for Kawhi knowing he was a 1 year rental....These players don't come around very often...Some front offices are fine taking the gamble and get Giannis in their team for 2 years and try and convince him to stay after...

I don't think Giannis is gonna sign an extension or give word he will because he will prolly just play out his contract wherever he goes and make a decision based on how them years go....But yes in this unrealistic world where Giannis says Raptors or im not playing next season....That could lower the cost...But you are still giving up Barnes + All your draft picks regardless lol....Or the Bucks just keep him for 2 years if the package is a lowball...They don't have to trade him and since hes not a free agent they don't have to accept a low ball offer and can keep him...

The point is....if giannis has a shortlist of 2 teams, the bucks will be forced to work with those who teams.

No team is gonna give up multiple draft picks and blue chip prospects for a 2 year rental.

Like i said he will prolly not sign an extension anywhere he goes...He will wait and see how it goes....This is a top 3 player....Teams are going to line up and give up assets or Bucks just keep him....Get playoff revenue and at least be a good team without a draft pick....Rather than trade him for penuts be a crap team with bad draft picks anyways and no great players to show for as well....Impossible situation...

If Giannis was a free agent you would have a point but since hes not you do not have a point...

Do you think the Bucks want to move Giannis?...The only reason they would even consider doing it right now is to get the most draft picks, Best players and package they can get to at least have some what of a future after Giannis is gone....If they do not get that they just keep him, Try to compete in the weaker east and trade him for penuts in 2 years rather than waste 2 years being bad anyways for nothing in return...

[mdenny]

Sure but this is hypothetical...The chances of Giannis saying he won't play for a potential championship dynasty (If he were to join the OKC) or Spurs with Wemby vs a team that would still have lots of holes in the Raptors sounds a little off......We traded for Kawhi knowing he was a 1 year rental....These players don't come around very often...Some front offices are fine taking the gamble and get Giannis in their team for 2 years and try and convince him to stay after...

I don't think Giannis is gonna sign an extension or give word he will because he will prolly just play out his contract wherever he goes and make a decision based on how them years go....But yes in this unrealistic world where Giannis says Raptors or im not playing next season....That could lower the cost...But you are still giving up Barnes + All your draft picks regardless lol....Or the Bucks just keep him for 2 years if the package is a lowball...They don't have to trade him and since hes not a free agent they don't have to accept a low ball offer and can keep him...

The point is....if giannis has a shortlist of 2 teams, the bucks will be forced to work with those who teams.

No team is gonna give up multiple draft picks and blue chip prospects for a 2 year rental.

Like i said he will prolly not sign an extension anywhere he goes...He will wait and see how it goes....This is a top 3 player....Teams are going to line up and give up assets or Bucks just keep him....Get playoff revenue and at least be a good team without a draft pick....Rather than trade him for penuts be a crap team with bad draft picks anyways and no great players to show for as well....Impossible situation...

If Giannis was a free agent you would have a point but since hes not you do not have a point...

Do you think the Bucks want to move Giannis?...The only reason they would even consider doing it right now is to get the most draft picks, Best players and package they can get to at least have some what of a future after Giannis is gone....If they do not get that they just keep him, Try to compete in the weaker east and trade him for penuts in 2 years rather than waste 2 years being bad anyways for nothing in return...

If he asks to be traded....his value will only go lower and lower until they lose him for nothing in 2 years. So he can certainly demand a trade effectively speaking.

He will give his team a shortlist of teams and they won't deviate from it.

We're only one year away from when he will sign his next contract.

Giannis can definitely force the bucks to trade him unless they want to risk losing him for nothing. Or trading him for much less if they wait another year. And he can definitely force his way onto a shortlist of teams by simply indicating he won't extend with any other teams next summer.

He's gonna end up choosing where he goes. (Of the teams that want him) Seems to make the most sense for him to choose okc or Spurs. But we don't know what factors he's weighing.

I'm not buying this Eastern Conference thing but damn I hope it's true.

[Clutch0z24]

The point is....if giannis has a shortlist of 2 teams, the bucks will be forced to work with those who teams.

No team is gonna give up multiple draft picks and blue chip prospects for a 2 year rental.

Like i said he will prolly not sign an extension anywhere he goes...He will wait and see how it goes....This is a top 3 player....Teams are going to line up and give up assets or Bucks just keep him....Get playoff revenue and at least be a good team without a draft pick....Rather than trade him for penuts be a crap team with bad draft picks anyways and no great players to show for as well....Impossible situation...

If Giannis was a free agent you would have a point but since hes not you do not have a point...

Do you think the Bucks want to move Giannis?...The only reason they would even consider doing it right now is to get the most draft picks, Best players and package they can get to at least have some what of a future after Giannis is gone....If they do not get that they just keep him, Try to compete in the weaker east and trade him for penuts in 2 years rather than waste 2 years being bad anyways for nothing in return...

If he asks to be traded....his value will only go lower and lower until they lose him for nothing in 2 years. So he can certainly demand a trade effectively speaking.

He will give his team a shortlist of teams and they won't deviate from it.

We're only one year away from when he will sign his next contract.

Giannis can definitely force the bucks to trade him unless they want to risk losing him for nothing. Or trading him for much less if they wait another year. And he can definitely force his way onto a shortlist of teams by simply indicating he won't extend with any other teams next summer.

He's gonna end up choosing where he goes. (Of the teams that want him) Seems to make the most sense for him to choose okc or Spurs. But we don't know what factors he's weighing.

I'm not buying this Eastern Conference thing but damn I hope it's true.

Sure lol....But i will bet you the Bucks are either keeping him and trying to compete in now a weaker east with Tatum out....Or they will get a hell of a package for him....They have him under contract for the 2025/2026 season, 2026-2027 season and he has a player option in the 2027 offseason....Thats along time to have Giannis under contract to try and win and convince him to sign long term...Like i said i doubt he signs an extension anywhere he goes ....I doubt them talks even come to the table when a team trades for him because its so far out still....Teams will offer lucrative deals to get a top 3 player...

OKC have a Chet or JDub to offer along with 11 FRPs in their treasure chest...Picks from different teams so they can offer more picks if they want than any team....Same with Rockets they have a few young guys and a bunch of good draft picks (Suns picks/Nets pick swaps), Spurs have #2, #14, Castle,Vassell, And future picks....The difference with them teams they would not have to gut their teams to get him...We prolly would because we don't have close to the pick package they can offer up....And i think Draft picks will be big on the Bucks minds because they do not control their own...

You have to outbid these offers.....I don't think Giannis is going to fuss if he ends up with one of them situations...Maybe Rockets but the Spurs or OKC....He prolly willingly would go there...

[CPT]

I’d probably prefer to send Scottie the other way in a Giannis deal. I actually think they would figure it out, despite not being a great fit, but I assume the difference in assets would make it worth it.

[MoneyBall]

The other thing that no one is talking about is what happens to Lillard. If we're offering Scottie and IQ, can we get both Giannis and Lillard? Do we even want Lillard?

[Jerry Lucas]

If Giannis actually has a say in where the Bucks trade him, I think it's pretty likely that he won't approve a trade to Toronto unless he is paired up with Scottie, someone he recently spoke very highly of.

Read on Twitter

[anj]

People, get it together. There is no trade for Giannis without Scottie going the other way, unless Masai has some dirt on Horst, or he's on the take like Nico was or something.

Stop thinking we can come out after that trade with our best player/asset, it's just insanity.

It just gets annoying how people put together fantasy trades on this board with no level of thought. You CANNOT get Giannis without sending Barnes the other way. The whole point of the deal for Milwaukee would be to get a high level young talent back. Otherwise they'd just trade with someone who is offering that (Green from Houston even though I don't rate him, etc.)

Completely disagree. Did the Bucks give up their best player to get Lillard? Did the Cavs give up their best player to get Mitchell? Did the Knicks give up their best player to get KAT? There is absolutely a world where a team acquires Giannis without gutting their roster/giving up their best piece. Players have a lot say (arguably too much) where they go and who they play with.

[YogurtProducer]

lol it would be so funny to get Giannis and keep Scottie somehow just to see all these people eat crow.

If Giannis says “Toronto. Only Toronto. And I want to play with Scottie”, that would get very very interesting.

The whole hypothetical here is unlikely, but if MIL agrees to do right by Giannis and Giannis asks for a certain place we really can’t say what the trade package will end up looking like.

What the **** is so special about Scottie that Giannis would insist on wanting to play with him?

He knows Barnes is a dollar store version of him. You think he wants another player packing up his space?

Some of you posters just post for the sake of posting, no insight whatsoever. Just puking your unneccessary opinions on the web.

Settle.

We are in a thread of hypotheticals and you are getting upset. Just breathe

[Matty]

lol it would be so funny to get Giannis and keep Scottie somehow just to see all these people eat crow.

If Giannis says “Toronto. Only Toronto. And I want to play with Scottie”, that would get very very interesting.

The whole hypothetical here is unlikely, but if MIL agrees to do right by Giannis and Giannis asks for a certain place we really can’t say what the trade package will end up looking like.

What the **** is so special about Scottie that Giannis would insist on wanting to play with him?

He knows Barnes is a dollar store version of him. You think he wants another player packing up his space?

Some of you posters just post for the sake of posting, no insight whatsoever. Just puking your unneccessary opinions on the web.

Settle.

We are in a thread of hypotheticals and you are getting upset. Just breathe

I'm getting upset with you Scottie fanboys because you have no logic.

[YogurtProducer]

What the **** is so special about Scottie that Giannis would insist on wanting to play with him?

He knows Barnes is a dollar store version of him. You think he wants another player packing up his space?

Some of you posters just post for the sake of posting, no insight whatsoever. Just puking your unneccessary opinions on the web.

Settle.

We are in a thread of hypotheticals and you are getting upset. Just breathe

I'm getting upset with you Scottie fanboys because you have no logic.

What did I say that made you think I am a Scottie fanboy? That I said it would be funny to see people have to eat crow?

I have been pretty critical of Scottie and called a Scottie-hater, and now I am a Scottie-fanboy? Sheesh.

[Matty]

Settle.

We are in a thread of hypotheticals and you are getting upset. Just breathe

I'm getting upset with you Scottie fanboys because you have no logic.

What did I say that made you think I am a Scottie fanboy? That I said it would be funny to see people have to eat crow?

I have been pretty critical of Scottie and called a Scottie-hater, and now I am a Scottie-fanboy? Sheesh.

Look I haven't posted here in years as protest to thinking a Scottie-led team will win anything so my bad if I thought you were a fanboy.

[nikster]

People, get it together. There is no trade for Giannis without Scottie going the other way, unless Masai has some dirt on Horst, or he's on the take like Nico was or something.

Stop thinking we can come out after that trade with our best player/asset, it's just insanity.

It just gets annoying how people put together fantasy trades on this board with no level of thought. You CANNOT get Giannis without sending Barnes the other way. The whole point of the deal for Milwaukee would be to get a high level young talent back. Otherwise they'd just trade with someone who is offering that (Green from Houston even though I don't rate him, etc.)

Completely disagree. Did the Bucks give up their best player to get Lillard? Did the Cavs give up their best player to get Mitchell? Did the Knicks give up their best player to get KAT? There is absolutely a world where a team acquires Giannis without gutting their roster/giving up their best piece. Players have a lot say (arguably too much) where they go and who they play with.

Not saying its not possible but Giannis is on another level to those players. There's a big difference between all-NBA or all star and a MVP that dominated on the way to a title.

Mitchell probably got the biggest haul on that list. He got Ochai (14th pick), 3 future 1st round picks, 2 swaps, a solid young player in Lauri, and a role player in Sexton. The competition for Giannis will be bigger and he should command a bigger haul than that

[6ixpessant]

I'm waiting for the Ja Morant trade speculation alongside the Giannis shizstorm. NBA off-seasons are rarely boring.

[WuTang_OG]

Read on Twitter

[ForeverTFC]

It just gets annoying how people put together fantasy trades on this board with no level of thought. You CANNOT get Giannis without sending Barnes the other way. The whole point of the deal for Milwaukee would be to get a high level young talent back. Otherwise they'd just trade with someone who is offering that (Green from Houston even though I don't rate him, etc.)

derozan for kawhi? never in a million years!

Yeah it's basically the same, if you ignore him being a typically healthy player in his prime, with 2 years + PO left on his contract, and not embroiled in a battle with his former team refusing to play. But who needs pesky details?

To be fair, I do think there is a world where you get Giannis without giving up Scottie. In that world, Giannis has made it known that he only wants to go to Toronto and Milwaukee feels like they have to do that for him. With that said, even if we do hold on to Scottie in that deal, does it make sense for us to keep Scottie on this team? I'd argue you trade him elsewhere and use assets from that trade to build around Giannis.

I'm really not sure why everyone insists on building a Giannis/Scottie team. If we get Giannis, we're getting one the top 3-4 players in the NBA for the next 2-3 years. You do everything possible in that window to bring in players that complement him and win championships.

[Jadoogar]

- An established up and coming player (RJ)
- Promising young player top 10 pick (Dick)
- Interesting PG prospect (Shead)
- Another top 10 pick deep draft(9th overall - 2025)
- All remaining picks possible to trade

lol come on.
RJ - very chartable description of RJ. Poor free throw shooter, below average 3pt shooter. RJ level players can be found on literally every team.
Gradey Dick - shooter who shoots below average from 3
Shead - low upside bench point guard
#9 pick - the last few #9 picks have been pretty bad (Edey, Taylor Hendricks, Sochan, Davion Mitchell)
Draft picks - from the team that has Giannis? likely in the 20s

If you had a superstar, would you trade him for Gradey dick and some bad draft picks?

[Jadoogar]

People, get it together. There is no trade for Giannis without Scottie going the other way, unless Masai has some dirt on Horst, or he's on the take like Nico was or something.

Stop thinking we can come out after that trade with our best player/asset, it's just insanity.

It just gets annoying how people put together fantasy trades on this board with no level of thought. You CANNOT get Giannis without sending Barnes the other way. The whole point of the deal for Milwaukee would be to get a high level young talent back. Otherwise they'd just trade with someone who is offering that (Green from Houston even though I don't rate him, etc.)

derozan for kawhi? never in a million years!

awful comparison. Kawhi was coming off an injured season, had 1 year left on his deal and everyone knew he preferred LA. It was still a heist of a trade but Kawhi's value was at his lowest, complete opposite of Giannis.

[Jadoogar]

lol it would be so funny to get Giannis and keep Scottie somehow just to see all these people eat crow.

If Giannis says “Toronto. Only Toronto. And I want to play with Scottie”, that would get very very interesting.

The whole hypothetical here is unlikely, but if MIL agrees to do right by Giannis and Giannis asks for a certain place we really can’t say what the trade package will end up looking like.

Why would he say that? Scottie isn't Luka or Wemby where other players are dying to play with him. Toronto was just in the lottery so it's not like we are good team that's just a Giannis away from being a championship favourite.