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

[tedbrogen]

It's Flagg or bust for me RE: a Giannis trade.

We need to at least have the hope of a guy becoming a star player in any return. The stuff being discussed (packages including Houston young players/giant packages of non premium picks etc) don't provide that. So any team we deal him to for me has to have the #1 pick or the assets to get the #1 pick. Otherwise I just keep him and see what develops.

This is where I'm at. I agree that getting multiple players and draft picks rarely works. Think Kareem Abdul Jabbar and Milwaukee.

Here's what I would do:

1) Meet right away with Giannis (it's reported that is what they will be doing).

2) If he wants to stay in Milwaukee, give him the max extension you can right now.

3) If he refuses, you cannot wait another year when his value will be significantly less, with only one year to go.

4) Do whatever you can to get Flagg and whatever else you can get.

Under this scenario, Giannis calls the shots. If he signs an extension, fine. If not, that's all I need to know.

Giannis is doing the usual exit interview that he and every other player do every year. He's not eligible for an extension. If he's ever traded, the team acquiring him is planning on extending him, so his inherited contact is irrelevant.

I agree that Flagg is an exciting prospect, but what guarantee are you offering that he'd have even a once of loyalty to Milwaukee?

What makes you think he wouldn’t? What superstar lately have bolted from the team that drafted them?

[tedbrogen]

Would you guys trade a later swap for one of our earlier swaps?

Not if Giannis is still in the roster. And if he isn’t, no one is giving the Bucks back those swaps.

[th87]

Past clinical, heartless and "strictly logical" decisions have blown up in our face in pretty spectacular fashion.

- Firing Bud after his brother passed away resulted in a coaching disaster for 2 years and counting, which threatens to end this era.

- Trading a heart and soul chemistry player like Holiday (who wanted to be a Buck for life) - without the courtesy to tell him it happened - near-immediately catapulted our main rival over the top, and sent the teams' trajectories in opposite directions.

- Trading an OG and attaching an asset to acquire the worst higher usage player in the league worked out exactly as expected.

- Unceremoniously getting rid of our young ascending player featured on the "HISTORY IN THE MAKING/HISTORY MADE" banner gave us a washed up "screen setta" we never used, and who was out of basketball immediately, while DDV became *exactly what we'd needed* against Boston in 2022.

...like maybe The Simulation is trying to tell us something.

[bucksfansince88]

Past clinical, heartless and "strictly logical" decisions have blown up in our face in pretty spectacular fashion.

- Firing Bud after his brother passed away resulted in a coaching disaster for 2 years and counting, which threatens to end this era.

- Trading a heart and soul chemistry player like Holiday (who wanted to be a Buck for life) - without the courtesy to tell him it happened - near-immediately catapulted our main rival over the top, and sent the teams' trajectories in opposite directions.

- Trading an OG and attaching an asset to acquire the worst higher usage player in the league worked out exactly as expected.

- Unceremoniously getting rid of our young ascending player featured on the "HISTORY IN THE MAKING/HISTORY MADE" banner gave us a washed up "screen setta" we never used, and who was out of basketball immediately, while DDV became *exactly what we'd needed* against Boston in 2022.

...like maybe The Simulation is trying to tell us something.

Zero Loyalty

[GHOSTofSIKMA]

Yall are going to hate me but i think i might enjoy Giannis going to another team more than anything we can do around him here.

If he goes to a contender, its probably 4-5 years of deep Giannis runs. If he stays, we need a prayer to get out of round 1. Id just rather see him happy and on a dominant team.

No. Giannis on another team would certainly not be enjoyable. And going to another team doesn't guarantee "deep runs". He's missed 2 of last 3 playoffs with injuries.

Rather see him happy? He's made $283 million (plus $112.5 million the next 2 years), he's been embraced by the community and the state. Won a championship. Made personnel and coaching moves to keep him happy.

The is separate of should he be traded. The issue is would I enjoy it seeing him play on another team. ABSOLUTELY NOT.

yeah...i might argue we should move him but there is no question it would be heart wrenching to watch him play elsewhere.

i was gutted watching khris in a wiz uniform and he was a shell. giannis somewere else competing would be gutted, bleeding on the ground and somebody kicking me in the nuts all at the same time

[landoc88]

People need to pump the brakes.

[GHOSTofSIKMA]

maybe im being weird but im really not all that concerned about not having our own picks the next 5 years. like wtf ever. its not like teams dont draft decent players from wherever. Thats how we got giannis ffs.

if we had a bunch of space and random picks from elsewhere and a core guy or two in the trade we could still compete. i think lotto picks are overrated now more than ever

[buckboy]

Oh good, now the 3rd-person comes out.

Based on context, only if you don't have him on ignore.

[ANTETOKOUNBROS]

Past clinical, heartless and "strictly logical" decisions have blown up in our face in pretty spectacular fashion.

- Firing Bud after his brother passed away resulted in a coaching disaster for 2 years and counting, which threatens to end this era.

- Trading a heart and soul chemistry player like Holiday (who wanted to be a Buck for life) - without the courtesy to tell him it happened - near-immediately catapulted our main rival over the top, and sent the teams' trajectories in opposite directions.

- Trading an OG and attaching an asset to acquire the worst higher usage player in the league worked out exactly as expected.

- Unceremoniously getting rid of our young ascending player featured on the "HISTORY IN THE MAKING/HISTORY MADE" banner gave us a washed up "screen setta" we never used, and who was out of basketball immediately, while DDV became *exactly what we'd needed* against Boston in 2022.

...like maybe The Simulation is trying to tell us something.

Well said. We are picked clean of draft capital and net positive players to surround Giannis. We closed the window early not maximized it.

[GHOSTofSIKMA]

Some people are arguing in bad faith on here because they want to "do Giannis a favor" or "protect his legacy" or "see him win another ring" Whats best for the Bucks is Giannis retiring a Buck and until the man makes it very very clear he doesn't intend to do that you don't move him. Thinking some team is going to give up Flagg and all their picks is a pipe dream and even that isn't a surefire way back to a title contending team. Some of y'all GA only fans are so obvious in your posting that its insulting to those of us who sat through the dark days of Bucks basketball. This board loves thinking worst case scenario but the best case is Giannis staying here for his career which he has always said is the goal.

I had season tickets in a year where Brian Skinner was a starter. I will not be challenged on my Bucks misery gold medal.

hey!! he wasnt all that bad that year!

[th87]

Some people are arguing in bad faith on here because they want to "do Giannis a favor" or "protect his legacy" or "see him win another ring" Whats best for the Bucks is Giannis retiring a Buck and until the man makes it very very clear he doesn't intend to do that you don't move him. Thinking some team is going to give up Flagg and all their picks is a pipe dream and even that isn't a surefire way back to a title contending team. Some of y'all GA only fans are so obvious in your posting that its insulting to those of us who sat through the dark days of Bucks basketball. This board loves thinking worst case scenario but the best case is Giannis staying here for his career which he has always said is the goal.

I had season tickets in a year where Brian Skinner was a starter. I will not be challenged on my Bucks misery gold medal.

hey!! he wasnt all that bad that year!

Not directed to anyone in particular, but --

This is literally where we'll head back if we trade Giannis and our draft haul produces at a historical average.

Back to being excited about Bobby Simmons signings and Yi Jianlian potential and Scott Skiles culture and Spencer Hawes improving the tank. Back to no one wearing Bucks gear and old ladies mistaking them for "the high school down the street..."

Giannis Antetokounmpo was a gift handed down after decades of misery and irrelevance, a kid who made little old Milwaukee his hometown, setting down roots and being 100% loyal throughout - "My city's a champion."

He's changed the entire vibe and energy of the city. People I meet have gone from "Milwaukee? Where's that?" to "Oh nice, Milwaukee." There are huge advertisements of him in airports as far as Istanbul (and beyond).

Like literally the best thing to ever happen to Milwaukee.

And we're really going to let the braintrust of Horst, Doc, and Haslam treat him like "just another asset"?? To let Adam Silver and ESPN dictate our house? F that.

[Rstuedes24]

It's a shame it took Doc until the very end of the playoffs to realize GTJ and AJ needed more playing time.
What are the chances we can retain Trent? I would imagine without rights it's probably pretty slim unless we're dropping other key guys

[msiris]

People need to pump the brakes.

Right now the Bucks brakes are completely gone.

[jakecronus8]

I had season tickets in a year where Brian Skinner was a starter. I will not be challenged on my Bucks misery gold medal.

hey!! he wasnt all that bad that year!

Not directed to anyone in particular, but --

This is literally where we'll head back if we trade Giannis and our draft haul produces at a historical average.

Back to being excited about Bobby Simmons signings and Yi Jianlian potential and Scott Skiles culture and Spencer Hawes improving the tank. Back to no one wearing Bucks gear and old ladies mistaking them for "the high school down the street..."

Giannis Antetokounmpo was a gift handed down after decades of misery and irrelevance, a kid who made little old Milwaukee his hometown, setting down roots and being 100% loyal throughout - "My city's a champion."

He's changed the entire vibe and energy of the city. People I meet have gone from "Milwaukee? Where's that?" to "Oh nice, Milwaukee." There are huge advertisements of him in airports as far as Istanbul (and beyond).

Like literally the best thing to ever happen to Milwaukee.

And we're really going to let the braintrust of Horst, Doc, and Haslam treat him like "just another asset"?? To let Adam Silver and ESPN dictate our house? F that.

It’s a lose-lose. We either trade the greatest player the franchise has and will ever see because we know there’s no path to a title with him any longer or he stays out of loyalty and treads water with 6-10 seed teams for the remainder of his prime. There’s no winning scenario.

[Xanadu]

I had season tickets in a year where Brian Skinner was a starter. I will not be challenged on my Bucks misery gold medal.

hey!! he wasnt all that bad that year!

Not directed to anyone in particular, but --

This is literally where we'll head back if we trade Giannis and our draft haul produces at a historical average.

Back to being excited about Bobby Simmons signings and Yi Jianlian potential and Scott Skiles culture and Spencer Hawes improving the tank. Back to no one wearing Bucks gear and old ladies mistaking them for "the high school down the street..."

Giannis Antetokounmpo was a gift handed down after decades of misery and irrelevance, a kid who made little old Milwaukee his hometown, setting down roots and being 100% loyal throughout - "My city's a champion."

He's changed the entire vibe and energy of the city. People I meet have gone from "Milwaukee? Where's that?" to "Oh nice, Milwaukee." There are huge advertisements of him in airports as far as Istanbul (and beyond).

Like literally the best thing to ever happen to Milwaukee.

And we're really going to let the braintrust of Horst, Doc, and Haslam treat him like "just another asset"?? To let Adam Silver and ESPN dictate our house? F that.

Yup any Bucks fan who thinks that trading him is in both parties best interests is relatively new bucks fan. God remember the have it all Monta Ellis teams. Not only completely irrelevant national but played such an ugly brand of ball. The Bucks will become that so quick it will make your head spin without Giannis. Is it hypothetically possible for the Bucks to build a homegrown competitive roster given treasure trove of assets and couple years. I would be the odds on us fielding a legit contender within 5 years of Giannis departure at less than 10 percent. Look how long OKC has tried that strategy only to keep getting close but failing. They have been pretty much perfect in roster decisions besides the Harden issue. To ever success like OKC there is five Was, Nola , Kings, Bulls, Hornets hell lets add the Jazz make it 6. All those teams have had multiple rebuild attempts that granted a second round exit at the peak. Seriously people truly don't understand the hell of the NBA treadmill. Once on the treadmill getting off can take not just few years but decades.

[ReasonablySober]

Yup any Bucks fan who thinks that trading him is in both parties best interests is relatively new bucks fan.

Or we're old enough to remember the previous time the Bucks were contenders and they were lead by a #1 overall, #5 overall, #7 overall, and, uh, Sam Cassell.

Winning takes balls.

[Xanadu]

Yup any Bucks fan who thinks that trading him is in both parties best interests is relatively new bucks fan.

Or we're old enough to remember the previous time the Bucks were contenders and they were lead by a #1 overall, #5 overall, #7 overall, and, uh, Sam Cassell.

Winning takes balls.

Lol hey the save our bucks crew are the reason I found this board. Legendary fans who are to often forgotten when bringing up the Bucks rise to contender. Perhaps because when they finally got ownership to see sense it netted Jabari instead of the savior Giannis. God, I remember arguing with a poster that Giannis ceiling was superstar. He would always compare him tho Josh smith from the hawks. DCE bucks I think was the poster? Also was a fan of Kidd who I despise even more than Doc. But yeah Bucks fans who don't know about the billboard gang that originated here should do a lil research. Those are the hall of fame fans who I respectfully tip my cap.

[th87]

Yup any Bucks fan who thinks that trading him is in both parties best interests is relatively new bucks fan.

Or we're old enough to remember the previous time the Bucks were contenders and they were lead by a #1 overall, #5 overall, #7 overall, and, uh, Sam Cassell.

Winning takes balls.

Where are our other top 7 picks coming from assuming Flagg is one?

[0BobLobLaw0]

How long do we have to wait for Doc to be fired just to realize he isn't getting fired? I'd like to see it happen by this weekend or I'd get nervous it isn't happening. .

[th87]

hey!! he wasnt all that bad that year!

Not directed to anyone in particular, but --

This is literally where we'll head back if we trade Giannis and our draft haul produces at a historical average.

Back to being excited about Bobby Simmons signings and Yi Jianlian potential and Scott Skiles culture and Spencer Hawes improving the tank. Back to no one wearing Bucks gear and old ladies mistaking them for "the high school down the street..."

Giannis Antetokounmpo was a gift handed down after decades of misery and irrelevance, a kid who made little old Milwaukee his hometown, setting down roots and being 100% loyal throughout - "My city's a champion."

He's changed the entire vibe and energy of the city. People I meet have gone from "Milwaukee? Where's that?" to "Oh nice, Milwaukee." There are huge advertisements of him in airports as far as Istanbul (and beyond).

Like literally the best thing to ever happen to Milwaukee.

And we're really going to let the braintrust of Horst, Doc, and Haslam treat him like "just another asset"?? To let Adam Silver and ESPN dictate our house? F that.

It’s a lose-lose. We either trade the greatest player the franchise has and will ever see because we know there’s no path to a title with him any longer or he stays out of loyalty and treads water with 6-10 seed teams for the remainder of his prime. There’s no winning scenario.

I really don't think a Giannis + good coach team ever ends up at 6-10. Puncher's chance in any series. And maybe we get lucky with injury.

We sink or swim together. I don't care to be Orlando north.