RealGM

The future of Giannis Antetokounmpo with the Milwaukee Bucks is one of the NBA's most pressing questions as he continues to play at an MVP level, but the roster around him has regressed since they won the title in 2021.

"Giannis has been just awesome this season," said Brian Windhorst on Wednesday's Hoop Collective Podcast. "He's clearly understood that they're challenged. And he has cut the BS out of his game and cut the fat out of his game and tried doing everything he can to carry this team. And they're just not good enough. And what is he supposed to do? This is the elephant in the room in the league right now. This team is losing tens of millions of dollars."

https://basketball.realgm.com/wiretap/280131/Giannis-Antetokounmpos-Future-With-Bucks-The-Elephant-In-The-Room-In-NBA



Giannis trade discussions are officially at an all time high right now. The Bucks are down 0-2 with their next 2 games at home but another early playoff exit is inevitable despite elite performances by Giannis. We know how hungry Masai is to win another title in Toronto and this could be a great opportunity to make a run at an international superstar. What will it take to land Giannis?

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

Potential wrote:What will it take to land Giannis?

Scottie, Dick and picks.

If we give away assets to make a competitive offer for Giannis, he will come here with no one to play with, I don't think this is the right time to swing for a superstar. Let's keep adding talent until we are deep enough to trade for a star player + have enough remaining to contend with.

I think if Giannis indeed wants out and gets a choice of where he wants to go, the Raptors will be serious contenders. Scottie will most likely go the other way; which other team is going to give the Bucks a potential franchise player in return? As we learned from the Luka trade, its all about relationships in the NBA, and you can bet Masai will be all over this. Giannis and Ingram together with probably Quickley and some young pieces will be a pretty good team.

dTox wrote:If we give away assets to make a competitive offer for Giannis, he will come here with no one to play with, I don't think this is the right time to swing for a superstar. Let's keep adding talent until we are deep enough to trade for a star player + have enough remaining to contend with.

What are you imaging the trade would be that would put us in that position?

The Bucks could get a shtload for him but we'll see (as often happens with superstars) if Giannis ends up dictacting where he wants to go and if that will impact their return. I read about Brooklyn being a possibility due to his business connections there and that he likes the city, but who knows how much validity there is to that.

Otherwise, OKC will be hard to be topped in terms of what they can offer.

Giannis probably has more say in where he ends up, which means probably GSW or LAL. Big markets in warm weather.

JB7 wrote:Giannis probably has more say in where he ends up, which means probably GSW or LAL. Big markets in warm weather.

No doubt. Or Texas. Not cold Canada.

Nebuchadnezzar wrote:

dTox wrote:If we give away assets to make a competitive offer for Giannis, he will come here with no one to play with, I don't think this is the right time to swing for a superstar. Let's keep adding talent until we are deep enough to trade for a star player + have enough remaining to contend with.

What are you imaging the trade would be that would put us in that position?

yeah for the Durant / Lillard situation we'd be gutted. I don't think it's quite it this time.

Barnes / Barret / Dick / 2025 1st / more picks and swaps

Still leaves us with

Quickley, Ochai / Ingram / Giannis / Poeltl
Shead / Walter / Battle / Mogbo
Lawson / Rhoden / Chomche

Not amazing, but could make noise in the East.

This board keeps pumping up Poeltl, let's see what his trade value is.

Poeltl, Barrett, Dick, 2025 1st pick (not #1 Flagg), Three more 1st picks and pick swaps.

PG IQ - Shead - Jakobe
SG Jakobe - Ochai
SF Ingram - Battle
PF Barnes - Mogbo
C Giannis - FA - Chomche

Duffman100 wrote:

Nebuchadnezzar wrote:

dTox wrote:If we give away assets to make a competitive offer for Giannis, he will come here with no one to play with, I don't think this is the right time to swing for a superstar. Let's keep adding talent until we are deep enough to trade for a star player + have enough remaining to contend with.

What are you imaging the trade would be that would put us in that position?

yeah for the Durant / Lillard situation we'd be gutted. I don't think it's quite it this time.

Barnes / Barret / Dick / 2025 1st / more picks and swaps

Still leaves us with

Quickley, Ochai / Ingram / Giannis / Poeltl
Shead / Walter / Battle / Mogbo
Lawson / Rhoden / Chomche

Not amazing, but could make noise in the East.

Given the assets teams like Houston + OKC have, it would require something along the lines of Barnes + Ja'Kobe + 3 to 4 first round picks (some of which are unprotected), but your guess is as good as mine. I just think that if we do make a move like this, Giannis would be in no better position here than he with his current team. In today's landscape, you have to have a 2nd star and maybe even a 3rd star (esp if your 2nd best player isn't a bonafide star) and we just don't have that in our pipeline if we trade our assets away. When we traded for Kawhi, we had Siakam + Lowry (both whom are allstar caliber players) to pair with Kawhi, I just don't see that type of talent currently in our team, especially if we trade Barnes, or our pick this year in the trade. Maybe in another year or two of asset building, then we can strike for that player, especially if our expected lotto pick or Barnes, or Ja'Kobe break out as a legitimate 2nd banana that we can pair next to whomever we trade for.

Smalltown wrote:

Potential wrote:What will it take to land Giannis?

Scottie, Dick and picks.

Giannis for Scottie Dick pic(k)s - done!

JB7 wrote:Giannis probably has more say in where he ends up, which means probably GSW or LAL. Big markets in warm weather.

He brought them a title, and has been a good soldier staying in that city a lot longer than most thought he would. He will absolutely dictate where he goes, and I doubt very much Toronto would be on that list.

You guys always overvalue free agent contracts and value in deals return. In what world would we trade Barnes for Giannis, the goal would be to have those guys join eachother. What competitor would be giving up equal value to Barnes in a trade for Giannis, none

Also keep in mind if he wants to stay in the east or head to West. If he wants to stay in East and has a choice id say Toronto might make it on list of preferences.

Duffman100 wrote:

Nebuchadnezzar wrote:

dTox wrote:If we give away assets to make a competitive offer for Giannis, he will come here with no one to play with, I don't think this is the right time to swing for a superstar. Let's keep adding talent until we are deep enough to trade for a star player + have enough remaining to contend with.

What are you imaging the trade would be that would put us in that position?

yeah for the Durant / Lillard situation we'd be gutted. I don't think it's quite it this time.

Barnes / Barret / Dick / 2025 1st / more picks and swaps

Still leaves us with

Quickley, Ochai / Ingram / Giannis / Poeltl
Shead / Walter / Battle / Mogbo
Lawson / Rhoden / Chomche

Not amazing, but could make noise in the East.

That looks like a championship contender to me.

dTox wrote:

Duffman100 wrote:

Nebuchadnezzar wrote:
What are you imaging the trade would be that would put us in that position?

yeah for the Durant / Lillard situation we'd be gutted. I don't think it's quite it this time.

Barnes / Barret / Dick / 2025 1st / more picks and swaps

Still leaves us with

Quickley, Ochai / Ingram / Giannis / Poeltl
Shead / Walter / Battle / Mogbo
Lawson / Rhoden / Chomche

Not amazing, but could make noise in the East.

Given the assets teams like Houston + OKC have, it would require something along the lines of Barnes + Ja'Kobe + 3 to 4 first round picks (some of which are unprotected), but your guess is as good as mine. I just think that if we do make a move like this, Giannis would be in no better position here than he with his current team. In today's landscape, you have to have a 2nd star and maybe even a 3rd star (esp if your 2nd best player isn't a bonafide star) and we just don't have that in our pipeline if we trade our assets away. When we traded for Kawhi, we had Siakam + Lowry (both whom are allstar caliber players) to pair with Kawhi, I just don't see that type of talent currently in our team, especially if we trade Barnes, or our pick this year in the trade. Maybe in another year or two of asset building, then we can strike for that player, especially if our expected lotto pick or Barnes, or Ja'Kobe break out as a legitimate 2nd banana that we can pair next to whomever we trade for.

What would Houston or OKC trade that would be the equivalent of Barnes ? You think OKC gives up Jdub or Chet for Giannis? You think Houston gives up sengun for him ? I certainly don't

Hopefully this becomes a better version of BC "finally" getting Gay where Masai gets his guy Giannis

Would be fairly amazing if we manage to get Giannis. I doubt it happens, but it would be pretty awesome to catch the tail end of his prime in Toronto.