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

[Syd-TK3]

Yall better hope we jump in the lottery cause the package we got currently ain't beating the other teams

[CazOnReal]

Yall better hope we jump in the lottery cause the package we got currently ain't beating the other teams

Yeah, and our team isn't beating the Cavs or Celtics - with or without Giannis

People are truly delusional regarding what a gutted roster plus Giannis will do when we just saw in 4K that Giannis + scraps isn't good enough to contend even in the East.

[TakeYourHeart]

If we get the 1st pick we enter the Flagg era but if not...pick 2-4 + Scottie + RJ is the best package out there. That is a rebuild stimulus package for the Bucks. A 7-10 pick might not be enough though.

I know it's Giannis, but that seems like a hefty price to pay, especially given where we were this season

Giannis
Ingram
Quickley

Is that really a contending team?

There are still things to figure out for sure, the bench is unproven and IQ needs to seriously improve or we need to upgrade the starting PG. But you do it because it's Giannis with 2+1 years left on his contract. There's a window here to figure things out. BI is also on a 2+1 year deal, it lines up. If we really intend to be competitive in the next 2 years this is a golden opportunity. And if doesn't work out in 1.5 years...it's Giannis. If we managed to trade an expiring Pascal we can trade a Giannis with a player option, recoup some of the assets and rebuild again.

[6ixpessant]

People thinking you can get Giannis without including Scottie in the deal are out to lunch.
There will be a bidding war, not like the Doncic trade because we all know he's on the market and the Bucks' situation.

The trade STARTS at:

Scottie Barnes (on max extension)
Gradey Dick (cheap rookie contract) - can sub in Walter.
2025 1st round pick (wherever it lands)
2027 1st round pick (top 5 protected)
2029 1st round pick (unprotected)
Pick swaps in 2026 and 2028

Might be +/- a pick or swap, but that's the type of package it's going to take to get him.

If the Bucks want to get younger, and get off salary, they'd push to include Kuzma and get back RJ; (or IQ but more likely RJ imo since his value is higher atm, and he's on a shorter, cheaper deal). I would not be surprised if this is the outcome of whatever Giannis trade is out there.

Then you're looking at the same package as above + RJ. Maybe we can negotiate one pick less, or higher protections on 2029.

Either way, MIL isn't taking much less than that in a deal.

We'd have IQ/Agbaji/Ingram/Giannis/Poeltl, Shead/Walter/Battle/Kuzma/?

Clearly some work needing to be done still, but that's a solid roster ready to compete right away for HCA.

I'd do it.

haha! Well ya, if you can attach Kuzma to anything.. that's a win!
Not sure I'd want to be in the Suns situation. Losing control of 5 first round picks? Not a chance. I also don't want Kuzma anywhere near this team.

I'm not saying Masai WOULD do it, I'm saying that's the type of offer it would take, assuming no backdoor shenanigans like LAL/DAL.
I wouldn't want to take on Kuzma either, I've always thought he was fake news lol. But if I was Jon Horst, I'd be stapling Kuzma's contract to Giannis' and refusing to separate them lol.

haha yes... if you can attach Kuzma to anything... that's a win.

[ImaBeatDatAzz]

It’s a pipedream but if Masai can somehow make it work to attain Giannis while keeping Scottie… then hooo man.

Only possible way is if we jump in the lottery, then you package the high lottery pick with multiple other picks + RJ + Dick + filler.

I would pass out if we manage to have a starting lineup of: Scottie / IQ / Ingram / Giannis / Poeltl

Just gotta go and get more shooters after that

[canz55]

Flagg rookie scale > Giannis contract

[Tha Cynic]

Read on Twitter

Giannis gets eliminated and mentions Scottie in his post game…. This was certainly not on my bingo card.

Read on Twitter

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It was always going to be

Poeltl
Barnes
Giannis
Ingram
Quickley

Good luck to teams trying to score inside on us

[Pointgod]

Lol Houston is not giving up Amen. What other assets do they have to trade? And plus their team has barely any shooters. Salary has to match too.

OKC - Salary has to match too and give up Chet, Jdub? They will have no spacing.

So show me your genius and how you can come up with something better

Houston has:

Jalen Green
Jabari Parker
Tauri Eason
Cam Whitmore
Reed Sheppard (top 3 pick last year)

As young guys with value. They have a lottery pick this year. They can swap Brooklyns pick in 2027, Phoenix 2027 pick, own 2028 pick, both Dallas and Suns 2029 picks, own pick in 2030 and own pick in 2031. They can send out 6 picks plus swaps, 60 million in expiring contacts and if push comes to shove they will trade Amen Thompson or Alparen Segun (but not both) because Giannis is a top 3 player in the league and easy to build around.

OKC has the Clippers and Miami picks this year and an off chance they could get the Sixers pick if they’re 7 and below. They have Utah’s pick and their own on 2026, their own pick and either Denver or Clippers pick in 27, their own or Dallas’ pick in 28, their own pick and Denver a pick in 29, own pick in 30 and own pick in 31. They can send out 9 picks plus swaps.

Plus young players like:
Chet
Jalen Williams
Cason Wallace
Nikola Topic

Plus 60 million in expiring contacts next season.

Either if these teams can beat our best offer if they’re wanted to.

Assuming OKC isn’t giving up Jalen Williams, Scottie is easily the best player on the table for the Bucks to consider.

Chet is a 20,11, 3,1, 3 blocks at 60%TS per 36. Scottie is 21,9,6,2,1 block at 52% TS per 36. Their offensive and defensive BPMs are exact opposites of each other respectively. Most teams will prefer Chet’s potential to develop after 2 seasons vs Scottie’s potential after 4 seasons. And that’s not even considering the gap in picks and other players that the Thunder can add in. Although if we do get jump into top 4 in the lottery our offer becomes a lot more competitive.

[Raps in 4]

If we land Flagg, would you guys trade the pick for Giannis?

I wouldn't. I'd take my chances on Flagg developing with this core.

[Jerry Lucas]

From Hollinger

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6321037/2025/04/29/giannis-antetokounmpo-trade-rumors-bucks-nba-playoffs/

So what do those options look like? We’ll first pause to consider yet another
Lillard injury irony: It could possibly force the Bucks to trade
Antetokounmpo for the Tyler Herro-Jaime Jaquez Jr.-Duncan Robinson
package from Miami. The Heat will always come up as a potential
destination, but Miami doesn’t have the pile of draft picks (on draft night
this year, it can trade its first-round pick, 20th overall via the Warriors, plus
unprotected firsts in 2030 and 2032) or alluring young players to get its foot
in the door on a trade of this magnitude.

Instead, the Bucks should be looking to get in the lottery this June as part
of any trade, kick-starting things right now.

The most obvious candidate is Houston. The Rockets can offer an
electrifying mini-Giannis in Amen Thompson, salivating draft picks in the
form of a 2025 lottery pick from the Suns, unprotected Phoenix firsts in
2027 and 2029 (the latter of which is the better of Phoenix’s or Dallas’) and
enough salary-matching flotsam to offset Antetokounmpo’s incoming $54.6
million and get a deal to the finish line.

Brooklyn is the other candidate, with enough cap room to swallow other
Milwaukee contracts (maybe not Lillard’s, but could the Nets take
Connaughton and Kuzma?). The Nets can’t put a talent like Thompson in a
trade, but they have four firsts in 2025 (likely pick Nos. 6, 19, 26 and 27), an
unprotected Suns swap in 2028, three unprotected future firsts from the
Knicks and all of their own future draft picks available in a trade. The
combined cap relief and draft capital is a pretty rare package, especially
with the Bucks’ recent tax issues.

No other team can match the Nets and Rockets on draft capital unless
Oklahoma City decides to get in the game, and I’m skeptical the Thunder
would pursue this once the price became clear.

However, two other places the Bucks could look for a partner are San
Antonio and Toronto. No, Bucks fans, you’re not getting Victor
Wembanyama for Giannis. But you might get Stephon Castle. The Spurs
also have two 2025 lottery picks (their own and Atlanta’s), an unprotected
2027 pick from Atlanta and several swaps, plus they can deal their own
picks in 2029 and 2031. Keldon Johnson and Harrison Barnes would be the
salary ballast. If Antetokounmpo was OK going to any non-glamour
market, this is probably the one where the allure is clear (WembyGiannis!) and the trade assets make sense.

Finally, there’s Toronto, where team president Masai Ujiri has been
rumored to be scheming ways to get Giannis since roughly forever. The
trade equation here seems pretty simple: Toronto’s 2025 lottery pick and
Scottie Barnes, plus whatever other draft considerations the Bucks would
want to level out the deal. (The Raptors have all their future firsts to put in
a trade.)

Those four teams are the favorites, but the Bucks will get calls from all 29 if
they make Antetokounmpo available. Even without access to their own
future picks, the Bucks are in such a bad spot that the only logical move is
to bang the gavel on a Giannis bidding war and rebuild with the spoils.

[Raptorfan2012]

Houston has:

Jalen Green
Jabari Parker
Tauri Eason
Cam Whitmore
Reed Sheppard (top 3 pick last year)

As young guys with value. They have a lottery pick this year. They can swap Brooklyns pick in 2027, Phoenix 2027 pick, own 2028 pick, both Dallas and Suns 2029 picks, own pick in 2030 and own pick in 2031. They can send out 6 picks plus swaps, 60 million in expiring contacts and if push comes to shove they will trade Amen Thompson or Alparen Segun (but not both) because Giannis is a top 3 player in the league and easy to build around.

OKC has the Clippers and Miami picks this year and an off chance they could get the Sixers pick if they’re 7 and below. They have Utah’s pick and their own on 2026, their own pick and either Denver or Clippers pick in 27, their own or Dallas’ pick in 28, their own pick and Denver a pick in 29, own pick in 30 and own pick in 31. They can send out 9 picks plus swaps.

Plus young players like:
Chet
Jalen Williams
Cason Wallace
Nikola Topic

Plus 60 million in expiring contacts next season.

Either if these teams can beat our best offer if they’re wanted to.

Assuming OKC isn’t giving up Jalen Williams, Scottie is easily the best player on the table for the Bucks to consider.

Chet is a 20,11, 3,1, 3 blocks at 60%TS per 36. Scottie is 21,9,6,2,1 block at 52% TS per 36. Their offensive and defensive BPMs are exact opposites of each other respectively. Most teams will prefer Chet’s potential to develop after 2 seasons vs Scottie’s potential after 4 seasons. And that’s not even considering the gap in picks and other players that the Thunder can add in. Although if we do get jump into top 4 in the lottery our offer becomes a lot more competitive.

Can Chet even play close to 36 mins a game though? Guy seems injury prone.

[CPT]

I know it's not the same people (I actually don't, but I have to assume), but it's crazy that some people here would trade Flagg for Giannis and others wouldn't even trade Scottie.

If we get Flagg, we keep him. We might trade everyone else (not for Giannis), but we keep Flagg.

[WuTang_CMB]

From Hollinger

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6321037/2025/04/29/giannis-antetokounmpo-trade-rumors-bucks-nba-playoffs/

So what do those options look like? We’ll first pause to consider yet another
Lillard injury irony: It could possibly force the Bucks to trade
Antetokounmpo for the Tyler Herro-Jaime Jaquez Jr.-Duncan Robinson
package from Miami. The Heat will always come up as a potential
destination, but Miami doesn’t have the pile of draft picks (on draft night
this year, it can trade its first-round pick, 20th overall via the Warriors, plus
unprotected firsts in 2030 and 2032) or alluring young players to get its foot
in the door on a trade of this magnitude.

Instead, the Bucks should be looking to get in the lottery this June as part
of any trade, kick-starting things right now.

The most obvious candidate is Houston. The Rockets can offer an
electrifying mini-Giannis in Amen Thompson, salivating draft picks in the
form of a 2025 lottery pick from the Suns, unprotected Phoenix firsts in
2027 and 2029 (the latter of which is the better of Phoenix’s or Dallas’) and
enough salary-matching flotsam to offset Antetokounmpo’s incoming $54.6
million and get a deal to the finish line.

Brooklyn is the other candidate, with enough cap room to swallow other
Milwaukee contracts (maybe not Lillard’s, but could the Nets take
Connaughton and Kuzma?). The Nets can’t put a talent like Thompson in a
trade, but they have four firsts in 2025 (likely pick Nos. 6, 19, 26 and 27), an
unprotected Suns swap in 2028, three unprotected future firsts from the
Knicks and all of their own future draft picks available in a trade. The
combined cap relief and draft capital is a pretty rare package, especially
with the Bucks’ recent tax issues.

No other team can match the Nets and Rockets on draft capital unless
Oklahoma City decides to get in the game, and I’m skeptical the Thunder
would pursue this once the price became clear.

However, two other places the Bucks could look for a partner are San
Antonio and Toronto. No, Bucks fans, you’re not getting Victor
Wembanyama for Giannis. But you might get Stephon Castle. The Spurs
also have two 2025 lottery picks (their own and Atlanta’s), an unprotected
2027 pick from Atlanta and several swaps, plus they can deal their own
picks in 2029 and 2031. Keldon Johnson and Harrison Barnes would be the
salary ballast. If Antetokounmpo was OK going to any non-glamour
market, this is probably the one where the allure is clear (WembyGiannis!) and the trade assets make sense.

Finally, there’s Toronto, where team president Masai Ujiri has been
rumored to be scheming ways to get Giannis since roughly forever. The
trade equation here seems pretty simple: Toronto’s 2025 lottery pick and
Scottie Barnes, plus whatever other draft considerations the Bucks would
want to level out the deal. (The Raptors have all their future firsts to put in
a trade.)

Those four teams are the favorites, but the Bucks will get calls from all 29 if
they make Antetokounmpo available. Even without access to their own
future picks, the Bucks are in such a bad spot that the only logical move is
to bang the gavel on a Giannis bidding war and rebuild with the spoils.

Watch on YouTube

[WuTang_CMB]

If OKC wins it all this year, they likely stand pat and don't go for Giannis

Toronto and Houston would have best packages on the table (If Scottie and Amen are included). Houston probably #1 since they have those PHX picks. But have to see where TOR lands in the lottery.

Giannis always had a thing for GS and Curry. I would not be surprised if that was his #1 destination and Bucks take a lesser package to make Giannis happy.

[WuTang_CMB]

Read on Twitter

[Raps in 4]

If OKC wins it all this year, they likely stand pat and don't go for Giannis

Toronto and Houston would have best packages on the table (If Scottie and Amen are included). Houston probably #1 since they have those PHX picks. But have to see where TOR lands in the lottery.

Giannis always had a thing for GS and Curry. I would not be surprised if that was his #1 destination and Bucks take a lesser package to make Giannis happy.

Curry has maybe 1-2 good years left. The dude is almost 40. Same with Butler. Then again, given the way Giannis plays, I'm not sure how many good years he has left either. At the very least, it'd be a fun team to watch, and they'd probably win at least one title.

[WuTang_CMB]

Watch on YouTube

[Tha Cynic]

I would expect similar to the Paul George haul, but, I don’t think teams are that stupid in general. I expect him to go for something the Raptors can match. It will most likely come down to his own preferred destinations.

These projections are always overstated in terms of what you need to give up. If you have a bunch of first round picks, you’re in a good spot. I think Raptors can get Giannis without trading Barnes if they can make the salaries work. They will need to give up their draft picks, including this year’s to do it, and probably another young player. The picks don’t matter as much if you think you can be good for the next 6 years and still make trades for support players.

This is where having roster flexibility and tradeable salaries is very important.

[TheGeneral99]

Scottie and a 1st for Giannis!

One can dream, right?

[WuTang_CMB]

Giannis wants to win. Bucks are finished with no future.
He will be traded

Read on Twitter

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