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

[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

Williams/Holmgren/Heat 2025 1st/Clippers 2025 1st/DEN 20271st/MIL 2028 2nd/OKC 2029 1st.

There’s literally not one lottery pick there, you know that right? Williams and Chet are roleplayers who would serve no purpose on this depression era Bucks team too, they’re not core pieces you build a contender around but just pieces we’d probably want to ship out when they don’t fit our timeline and want to get paid. That would not be a playoff team right now. Chet has a worse body than Zion I think, not a real blue chip prospect.

It would be better to get one elite prospect(I’m not really into Cooper Flagg tho) than playing scratch off with a bunch of picks after 15. Think about who is drafting for this team too. How do the Bucks get another top 10 player? Do you think Horst is going to find that guy?

Our best bet is just hoping for the best with Giannis, there is no mystery behind door #2 just a decade of misery.

Horst getting an extension is just straight up criminal

[BigO]

I have seen a lot of people rationalizing this idea that we're in this age of parity and that there "are more good teams now" and therefore just having Giannis isn't enough. I mean, sure, but I then don't understand how you don't believe the inverse of that to be true. That a team with one mega-star and capable supporting cast can't compete in an age where no one dynasty level team is standing out.

Like does anyone really think that OKC is a GOAT level team? Or are they just a really well put together roster with perfect fitting role-players around a mega-star in SGA, in addition to having a top flight head coach? Obviously that's the extreme side of the ledger, but I just wanna see what a bought in Giannis around a re-tooled roster and an actual non-idiot head coach looks like before I can confidently say how far away we are from contending.

Here's the reasons your scenario isn't realistic:

1) Everyone here wants to replace Doc (me included). That isn't going to happen.

2) Horst is here to stay. The same guy that bought into the "we need to get more athletic" hype and actually thought Kuzma was a good addition. As far as we know, he still does.

3) It's hard enough, when you have few assets (draft capital, cap space and roster value) to rebuild a roster. But when you have Doc and Horst, it's an impossibility.

The 2nd point may be a sobering reality depending on how Horst pivots these next 3-5 months and assuming Giannis is still on board. The bolded is purely blind speculation. Would even doubt that Doc wants to sign up for another season at this point knowing Dame is all but done for the next calendar year, but the front office absolutely has an easily justifiable mandate to fire him after this spectacular failure of a season. If one operates under the "things are incapable of getting better" mantra then obviously you're gonna struggle to see the merits of any alternate scenario.

I am struggling to see an alternate scenario.

As for Doc, he isn't walking away from millions of dollars and if the scuttlebut on here is true, Doc is coming back.

[BigO]

Here's a long, but comprehensive look at the options for trading Giannis, which include the Rockets and Nets options. Interesting.

https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/bucks-giannis-antetokounmpo-era-should-end-with-damian-lillards-injury-and-a-trade-can-benefit-all-involved/

[paulpressey25]

Williams and Chet are roleplayers who would serve no purpose on this depression era Bucks team too, they’re not core pieces you build a contender around but just pieces we’d probably want to ship out when they don’t fit our timeline and want to get paid.

Narrator: Chet and Williams were core pieces for a contender.

And the OKC fans will scream “you only get one of them” or they might scream “we won a title already without Giannis”

Those two would be the highest ceiling duo we could get. My issue goes to your other point, Chet’s health. Feels like it will continue to be an issue.

[paulpressey25]

Here's long, but comprehensive look at the options for trading Giannis, which include the Rockets and Nets options. Interesting.

https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/bucks-giannis-antetokounmpo-era-should-end-with-damian-lillards-injury-and-a-trade-can-benefit-all-involved/

Absolutely can’t stand lazy media claiming this is just like the “Kevin Garnett” situation. Giannis won a damn title and had a ton of stellar years where he carried us. KG’s last two seasons (he was healthy) the Wolves won 32 and 33 games. Media implication is that Giannis needs to leave Milwaukee to ever ‘win’ as if he’s never ‘won’ before.

[mlloyd10]

Williams and Chet are roleplayers who would serve no purpose on this depression era Bucks team too, they’re not core pieces you build a contender around but just pieces we’d probably want to ship out when they don’t fit our timeline and want to get paid.

Narrator: Chet and Williams were core pieces for a contender.

And the OKC fans will scream “you only get one of them” or they might scream “we won a title already without Giannis”

Those two would be the highest ceiling duo we could get. My issue goes to your other point, Chet’s health. Feels like it will continue to be an issue.

Could try to Flip Chet to a different team.

[Coach Carter]

I made the mistake of checking our future draft picks.



The only way this makes sense is if we try recoup everything by trading Giannis, but it's Giannis. I think I only trade him, if he asks for it. Meanwhile revamp both recruiting and coaching staff.

[soxperry]

If youre going to trade Giannis, you might get more value when hes older

Why? Because if you can get unprotected picks and swaps for the era immediately following Giannis's likely decline and retirement, you should be getting back some serious assets.

Its very hard to get unprotected picks that aren't guaranteed playoff picks otherwise

[paulpressey25]

I made the mistake of checking our future draft picks.

Yes, this is why we’re all depressed. Our drafts from 2025 to 2030 (six years) are all spoken for by other teams. And we don’t even have a stack of 2nds to use.

[emunney]

Here's long, but comprehensive look at the options for trading Giannis, which include the Rockets and Nets options. Interesting.

https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/bucks-giannis-antetokounmpo-era-should-end-with-damian-lillards-injury-and-a-trade-can-benefit-all-involved/

Absolutely can’t stand lazy media claiming this is just like the “Kevin Garnett” situation. Giannis won a damn title and had a ton of stellar years where he carried us. KG’s last two seasons (he was healthy) the Wolves won 32 and 33 games. Media implication is that Giannis needs to leave Milwaukee to ever ‘win’ as if he’s never ‘won’ before.

It's more like the Steph situation. He never asked for a trade, and they've re-emerged multiple times after their initial dynastic run.

[BigO]

Here's long, but comprehensive look at the options for trading Giannis, which include the Rockets and Nets options. Interesting.

https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/bucks-giannis-antetokounmpo-era-should-end-with-damian-lillards-injury-and-a-trade-can-benefit-all-involved/

Absolutely can’t stand lazy media claiming this is just like the “Kevin Garnett” situation. Giannis won a damn title and had a ton of stellar years where he carried us. KG’s last two seasons (he was healthy) the Wolves won 32 and 33 games. Media implication is that Giannis needs to leave Milwaukee to ever ‘win’ as if he’s never ‘won’ before.

It's more like the Steph situation. He never asked for a trade, and they've re-emerged multiple times after their initial dynastic run.

Steph had other quality assets around him. The Bucks don't.

[JayMKE]

Williams and Chet are roleplayers who would serve no purpose on this depression era Bucks team too, they’re not core pieces you build a contender around but just pieces we’d probably want to ship out when they don’t fit our timeline and want to get paid.

Narrator: Chet and Williams were core pieces for a contender.

And the OKC fans will scream “you only get one of them” or they might scream “we won a title already without Giannis”

Those two would be the highest ceiling duo we could get. My issue goes to your other point, Chet’s health. Feels like it will continue to be an issue.

They definitely will say they don’t want to trade both but even hypothetically having the 2, what kind of ceiling do you realistically think a team has led Williams and Chet with only mid or late picks for next however many years to improve ? They are definitely roleplayers, they’re not franchise players. I don’t see a playoff team. If that’s the best return then you just stick with Giannis, we’re not missing out on anything. You know this team is **** when even trading Giannis won’t net enough assets to seed the team going forward..

[DingleJerry]

The good Williams on OKC is better than a role player. He's putting up over 20 a game as the 2nd best player on a team with the 6th most wins ever while also being very good at D, and he's only 23 years old.

Personally, I doubt they give up Williams in the deal

[Ron Swanson]

Probably need to also point out that we can very much have lottery picks in 2026, 2028, and 2030 because there's absolutely no guarantee that New Orleans or Portland won't still be ass in the next 4-5 years. Giannis trade or no Giannis trade.

[mlloyd10]

Williams and Chet are roleplayers who would serve no purpose on this depression era Bucks team too, they’re not core pieces you build a contender around but just pieces we’d probably want to ship out when they don’t fit our timeline and want to get paid.

Narrator: Chet and Williams were core pieces for a contender.

And the OKC fans will scream “you only get one of them” or they might scream “we won a title already without Giannis”

Those two would be the highest ceiling duo we could get. My issue goes to your other point, Chet’s health. Feels like it will continue to be an issue.

They definitely will say they don’t want to trade both but even hypothetically having the 2, what kind of ceiling do you realistically think a team has led Williams and Chet with only mid or late picks for next however many years to improve ? They are definitely roleplayers, they’re not franchise players. I don’t see a playoff team. If that’s the best return then you just stick with Giannis, we’re not missing out on anything. You know this team is **** when even trading Giannis won’t net enough assets to seed the team going forward.

I'll give you Chet may be a role player, which is why i would try to flip him to Spurs for Castle, but Williams is not - The Guy would be the #1 option on have the teams in the league.

If your telling me a team, lets just say the Spurs make the Chet trade, lead by Williams/Castle/Porter/ with good role players of Portis/Green and Ajax/Smith plus the two picks isn't a playoff team, i cant help you

[Baddy Chuck]

This is all fine and dandy, but how are you retooling? What assets do we have to include in deals? What flexibility to be aggressive do we have in free agency?

I don’t necessarily disagree with your sentiment but the idea of getting to that point in the next few years is a massive long shot.

I think it comes down to essentially how you think Giannis ages and how long of a window you think you have with him. If you think he breaks down sooner than later, you probably don't really have much choice. If you think you have an extended window you play for his free agency year, 2027. He'll still only be 32, plenty of guys are playing at a very high level well past that age. Largely the next two years would be treading water and hoping to find some diamonds in the rough. The TV deal is going to increase the cap every year for infinity, you could possibly head into that offseason with infinite money to spend to build around Giannis and whatever pieces you have with Dame and Kuzma off the books. A bought in Giannis could attract some nice free agents to the Bucks who will have real money to spend for the first time since Greg Monroe. Teams at the top now might find themselves in a similar situation the Bucks were in where they're forced to lose talent to live under the 2nd apron CBA. The landscape of the "untouchable's" like Boston, Cleveland, OKC, etc could change dramatically. Most will be heading into multiple seasons of 200+ million payrolls, 2nd apron hell, with tons of free agent decisions. You'll have a '27 first to draft and play with along with the '31 first still in the pocket, which theoretically increases in value by the minute and might damn well be one of the most valuable picks on the market for the foreseeable future. I think the days of the expiring contract have kinda fallen by the wayside but maybe Dame comes back to some level and his giant expiring lands you something, though probably largely just hopeful, but maybe something small. Can a guy like KPJ parlay his late season success into a long term role? I think it's a non zero and it would give us an a extreme leg in a retool. We'll have more than vet minimum contracts to offer potential suitors for the first time in a minute. I think the last two guys we signed to those types of deals were Brook Lopez and Bobby, that didn't wind up too bad, can we find some more of those guys? Obviously it would be an uphill battle but starting with Giannis you're already halfway up the hill.

[Craig_Hodges]

If Doc is not fired, I may lose my mind.
There is just no way Haslam and Edens sign off on moving Giannis unless Giannis demands out (and I don't think he will).
Been a long time since I posted, but read you guys everyday. Appreciate the emotional support.

[paulpressey25]

Personally, I doubt they give up Williams in the deal

This is where we have to hope Houston gets knocked out and in a bidding war with OKC, although Presti will claim he doesn’t do that.

The Locked on Suns guys are depressed (latest episode) because they believe that if Giannis hits the market, it will depress the market for KD. And they’re right.

[fansinceforever]

This is therapy for us all and I think it's interesting to keep spit balling all of this.

still, I have no idea how you build a solid or competent roster capable of competing around Giannis with what we have to work with.

Indiana is not a championship team by any stretch. Maybe they prove me wrong but Dame or no Dame they are completely running us off the floor.

[Ron Swanson]

Houston fans acting like they're any closer to a championship than we are as they're about to get gentleman's swept in the first round by 37-year old Steph and a one-legged Jimmy perfectly encapsulates how drunk every team's fans get on their own guys and our tendency to massively overrate "potential".

Thankfully, actual NBA GM's aren't as obsessed and dogmatic with trying to "fleece" everyone else in every potential transaction as they are on the T&T board. Giannis is gonna fetch a haul no matter what happens with most of these teams sans OKC. Zero worries about that, and we absolutely have time on our side and can wait out the best possible return, whether that's this offseason, next offseason, or the 2027 trade deadline.