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

[wegotthabeet]

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

Neither team probably has the balls to consolidate assets. People completely underestimate how difficult it is to blow up a young promising team for an aging superstar. If doesn’t work then they just **** the whole thing up.

If he gets traded I don’t think he’ll end up in Houston or OKC.

[sidsid]

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.

[Nebuchadnezzar]

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?

Scottie + 2025 pick + Dick or JaKobe + future FRPs

Giannis + RJ + IQ is a second round exit at best.

We would also still have BI and Yak.....

[basketballto]

For anyone who thinks we can compete with the Thunder in a bidding war without including Scottie:

https://fanspo.com/nba/teams/oklahoma-city-thunder/21/draft-picks

None of those picks will be top 10. I would rather have one top 5 over 3 or 4 picks in the 20s.

[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.

[brownbobcat]

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.

[Pointgod]

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

Neither team probably has the balls to consolidate assets. People completely underestimate how difficult it is to blow up a young promising team for an aging superstar. If doesn’t work then they just **** the whole thing up.

If he gets traded I don’t think he’ll end up in Houston or OKC.

Gianni’s is 30 and I wouldn’t be surprised if he has Steph or KD like longevity. There’s always a risk to trading for a superstar but there’s equal risk to just missing your window (eg Memphis). Houston and OKC could blow any offer out the water and still have enough assets to field a competitive team around Giannis.

[ConSarnit]

These elite stars get to choose where they want to go. Giannis has 2 years left on his contract. Do you want to give up the farm for Giannis is he tells you he won’t sign an extension? If he says he won’t you’re almost assured he’s walking so what price do you pay for 2 years of Giannis? So now you’ve got OKC making a reduced offer that probably lines up closer to whatever premier franchise he wants to go to will offer.

Elite stars always get where they want to go.

[Tripod]

These elite stars get to choose where they want to go. Giannis has 2 years left on his contract. Do you want to give up the farm for Giannis is he tells you he won’t sign an extension? If he says he won’t you’re almost assured he’s walking so what price do you pay for 2 years of Giannis? So now you’ve got OKC making a reduced offer that probably lines up closer to whatever premier franchise he wants to go to will offer.

Elite stars always get where they want to go.

With sometimes a pit stop in Toronto

[CPT]

Hoping for one of two things:

1) We land Giannis for Scottie + filler + picks. Team is immediately relevant again with a puncher’s chance at contending.

2) OKC makes a godfather offer, lands him, and it’s a disaster. SGA and Giannis have less chemistry than Giannis and Dame (seems possible, actually), some important depth pieces are gone, maybe some injuries, Daigneault gets fired, so on and so forth. SGA says F this and demands a trade to Toronto or he’ll just sign as a FA.

What will actually happen:

Giannis goes to Miami for like Jaime Jaquez and filler.

[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.

Iq was trade-bait so that makes sense (like Giddey). Ayton wasn't any good. But Maxey is interesting/odd.

There may be an explanation for that.

[Nebuchadnezzar]

Bucks probably will want to move off Dame too, as he won't make sense moving forward, so I can see them trying to package with Giannis.

Dame and Greak Freak

For

Scottie, RJ, Quick and our 2025 first

[Raptorfan2012]

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?

[mdenny]

The dream scenario

Win lottery.

Trade scotty + RJ + gradey +4 pick/swaps for Giannis.

Iq
Agbaji
Ingram
Flagg
Giannis

Bench:

Shead
Walter
Battle
Mogbo
Poetl

[bballsparkin]

Scottie + 2025 pick + Dick or JaKobe + future FRPs

Giannis + RJ + IQ is a second round exit at best.

We would also still have BI and Yak.....

Depends how far off the FRPs are. Non free agency markets like us and the Bucks need their picks. The Bucks will need their picks back. But Giannis won't want to move from Milwaukee to New Orleans. Stay tuned.

[JB7]

After playing in a small market for so many years, Giannis is going to demand to go to a large market with this trade, to a team ready to compete.

None of the large markets have the assets to trade for him, or if they do, they aren't ready to compete.

LAL and NYK have no picks left in this decade, nor do they have any noteworthy prospects.

Miami can trade for him, but they aren't ready to compete, and won't be any time soon.

Same goes for Brooklyn.

Giannis is picking his next spot. And the team that gets him won’t have to give up as much as everyone thinks they should.

Remember, the Lakers still have the pick they got back from that trade they nixed with the Hornets.

[bballsparkin]

Bucks probably will want to move off Dame too, as he won't make sense moving forward, so I can see them trying to package with Giannis.

Dame and Greak Freak

For

Scottie, RJ, Quick and our 2025 first

If that's all it takes. Well then sure.

[bballsparkin]

Giannis is picking his next spot. And the team that gets him won’t have to give up as much as everyone thinks they should.

Remember, the Lakers still have the pick they got back from that trade they nixed with the Hornets.

Lakers gonna need more than that. They already got Kareem from them.

[Raps in 4]

Giannis is picking his next spot. And the team that gets him won’t have to give up as much as everyone thinks they should.

Remember, the Lakers still have the pick they got back from that trade they nixed with the Hornets.

Lakers gonna need more than that. They already got Kareem from them.

They just got Luka for peanuts. They're getting Giannis too. Silver wants his LAL super team.

[bballsparkin]

^^i might puke if it happens.