Giannis Thread - On Asking for a Trade - "I am not this kind of guy, they would have to kick me out”.

[MartyConlonOnTheRun]

If anything the Bucks should be offering to take on bad deals once they deal Giannis.

I agree but we are about 1-2 years away from that. Once Dame expires, we can become the thunder with a 10-year plan

ETA: Would be kind of fitting that we trade Dame & Kuz to the Knicks for OG/Hart and picks to clear room for Giannis

[DanoMac]

If anything the Bucks should be offering to take on bad deals if they deal Giannis.

Fixed it for you sir. He ain't goin anywhere

[Ron Swanson]

Of course teams like Washington, Charlotte, and Utah wouldn't trade #1 for Giannis. We all knew this. What's comical is saying that Flagg in a vacuum is more valuable than current Giannis as a basketball/trade asset because that's not the same thing. The monumentally stupid **** that these basketball hipster writers continue to pump out never ceases to amaze me. You'd think that the entire point of running an NBA franchise would be to win championships, not just collect assets in perpetuity while ending up in no-man's land like their idol Danny Ainge over in Utah.

Houston fans are a perfect example right now. Acting like you have this 8-year contention window just because you have a bunch of good and fun young players is a mistake repeated over and over again by countless fanbases and organizations. If we've learned anything from the past half decade, it's that title windows are shorter than ever with the new CBA. Giannis is the type of basketball asset that comes along on the trade market once every like, 20-years, if not longer than that. And that's not even to say that Dallas is a team that definitely should trade Flagg for Giannis (I think it's debatable but they ultimately won't), but all these smug fans and beat writers having their "untouchables" in a Giannis trade is hilarious.

[ReasonablySober]

If anything the Bucks should be offering to take on bad deals once they deal Giannis.

I agree but we are about 1-2 years away from that. Once Dame expires, we can become the thunder with a 10-year plan

If they trade Giannis this summer they'll have the opportunity to take some team's awful mistake deal (Dejoute Murray) in exchange for picks or prospects.

[Ron Swanson]

If anything the Bucks should be offering to take on bad deals once they deal Giannis.

I agree but we are about 1-2 years away from that. Once Dame expires, we can become the thunder with a 10-year plan

If they trade Giannis this summer they'll have the opportunity to take some team's awful mistake deal (Dejoute Murray) in exchange for picks or prospects.

I'd argue you should be doing this right now regardless.

[rilamann]

Think dynamically people..

Here are two very good reasons

1. Getting Giannis makes OKC an absolute juggernaut that is realistically capable of winning 3-5 of the next five titles

Not sure why everyone assumes this. Giannis & Dame in theory were supposed to be unstoppable. It didn't work.

OKC would realistically need to give us Holmgren & Jalen Williams on top of picks. That leaves Shai, Dort, Hartenstein, Wallace, Wiggins, Joe and Caruso as your core around Giannis (with a bunch of late 1sts in the cupboard). Where's the juggernaut? Is anyone even pretending to be the 3rd banana there?

I think we should step back to appreciate the sheer incompetence it took to make them worse than the sum of their parts.

I am not the biggest Dame guy and I think Giannis & Dame were a bad fit together. But at the end of the day, no one can deny that Dame is an elite offensive talent.

So how on earth do you make scoring look painful at times when you have both Giannis & Dame on the floor. Almost impressive in a bad way for Doc.

I remember watching (as I am sure we all did) in disbelief at times at how putrid our offense looked with both guys on the floor.

Although we all remember Dame kind of eluded to that and the fact that Doc wants ball movement. It all kind of made sense after that.

So I guess if you let Giannis & Dame do superstar stuff, then guys like Kuzma and Prince won't get their/enough touches.

[MartyConlonOnTheRun]

I agree but we are about 1-2 years away from that. Once Dame expires, we can become the thunder with a 10-year plan

If they trade Giannis this summer they'll have the opportunity to take some team's awful mistake deal (Dejoute Murray) in exchange for picks or prospects.

I'd argue you should be doing this right now regardless.

The issue is money. We can't be in tax without Giannis (Well we could, but probably a non-starter from the owners). We don't have a ton of room assuming we have to somewhat match salaries when sending Giannis out. And while as a fan I would totally be ok taking on 90m of Murray's salary, there probably are some limits on what the owners will pay for a team with extremely low fan interest. It will be a tough sell having a $185m payroll the next few years. Usually it only makes sense financially when the team is trying to get above the floor (ie OKC) otherwise the actually cash doesn't match the benefit of a meh picks. It is more practical when Dame and Kuz expires.

[ReasonablySober]

If they trade Giannis this summer they'll have the opportunity to take some team's awful mistake deal (Dejoute Murray) in exchange for picks or prospects.

I'd argue you should be doing this right now regardless.

The issue is money. We can't be in tax without Giannis (Well we could, but probably a non-starter from the owners). We don't have a ton of room assuming we have to somewhat match salaries when sending Giannis out. And while as a fan I would totally be ok taking on 90m of Murray's salary, there probably are some limits on what the owners will pay for a team with extremely low fan interest. It will be a tough sell having a $185m payroll the next few years. Usually it only makes sense financially when the team is trying to get above the floor (ie OKC) otherwise the actually cash doesn't match the benefit of a meh picks. It is more practical when Dame and Kuz expires.

Strictly speaking, the Bucks only have to take back $43 million if they're just dealing Giannis. Another team like Houston or San Antonio could send NO young players, picks, and salary matching filler to make up for the '26 swap and the '27 first rounder, while the Bucks could take back Murray and someone like Amen Thompson or Stephon Castle and the motherload of picks.

[Dick Tate]

Where is the NO wanting to get away from Murray stuff coming from? I haven't seen it anywhere. Definitely nothing about attaching assets.

[ReasonablySober]

Where is the NO wanting to get away from Murray stuff coming from? I haven't seen it anywhere. Definitely nothing about attaching assets.

He was playing bad and then he tore his achilles. He's got $96 million left on that deal. I think it's safe to say they would like out.

[Ron Swanson]

That was the genesis for the idea of bringing Jrue back. I mean, I would at least hope that's the route we go even with keeping Giannis because what's the point of ducking below the 2nd apron if you're not gonna use the cap flexibility to somehow get better and/or attain some picks? If this organization seriously justified the Kuzma trade just so they could hand out the tax-payer MLE to some JAG journeyman wing and call it a day, then they're somehow even dumber than I thought.

[BroncoBuck]

I agree but we are about 1-2 years away from that. Once Dame expires, we can become the thunder with a 10-year plan

If they trade Giannis this summer they'll have the opportunity to take some team's awful mistake deal (Dejoute Murray) in exchange for picks or prospects.

I'd argue you should be doing this right now regardless.

I like the idea of just taking these role player 2nd apron players that need to be shipped for nothing. Like just take on Hauser from Boston. Then you could always turn around later and deal that player for a pick or whatever from a contender.

Good role players in that 8-12 million dollar range

[machu46]

Of course teams like Washington, Charlotte, and Utah wouldn't trade #1 for Giannis. We all knew this. What's comical is saying that Flagg in a vacuum is more valuable than current Giannis as a basketball/trade asset because that's not the same thing. The monumentally stupid **** that these basketball hipster writers continue to pump out never ceases to amaze me. You'd think that the entire point of running an NBA franchise would be to win championships, not just collect assets in perpetuity while ending up in no-man's land like their idol Danny Ainge over in Utah.

Houston fans are a perfect example right now. Acting like you have this 8-year contention window just because you have a bunch of good and fun young players is a mistake repeated over and over again by countless fanbases and organizations. If we've learned anything from the past half decade, it's that title windows are shorter than ever with the new CBA. Giannis is the type of basketball asset that comes along on the trade market once every like, 20-years, if not longer than that. And that's not even to say that Dallas is a team that definitely should trade Flagg for Giannis (I think it's debatable but they ultimately won't), but all these smug fans and beat writers having their "untouchables" in a Giannis trade is hilarious.

If anything, I might argue that Houston has a 0-year contending window unless they make a trade for someone like Giannis. No doubt it's a good, young team, but it's entirely possible they never reach title contender status unless they make a big move.

[tedbrogen]

If anything the Bucks should be offering to take on bad deals once they deal Giannis.

I agree but we are about 1-2 years away from that. Once Dame expires, we can become the thunder with a 10-year plan

If they trade Giannis this summer they'll have the opportunity to take some team's awful mistake deal (Dejoute Murray) in exchange for picks or prospects.

Yep, I never understood the demands that we loop the Pels into any Giannis deal. If you trade Giannis, you call the Pels and offer Kuz/Pat for Murray/26 swap/both theirs and the Bucks 27 1sts (lesser still goes to Atlanta unless both are top four) so really Pels are only giving up one pick there.

Then in 26 offseason you offer Dame’s expiring back to the Blazers for Grant and any other bad salary they want to shed to get your 28/30 swaps and 29 pick back.

The second apron is going to really handicap young teams from re-signing all their young talent if they have any bad salary in their roster. If you’re willing to take really bad salary, you’ll get compensated big time.

Boom, you’d have all your firsts back outside of a 28 swap with the Wiz.

[Ron Swanson]

Of course teams like Washington, Charlotte, and Utah wouldn't trade #1 for Giannis. We all knew this. What's comical is saying that Flagg in a vacuum is more valuable than current Giannis as a basketball/trade asset because that's not the same thing. The monumentally stupid **** that these basketball hipster writers continue to pump out never ceases to amaze me. You'd think that the entire point of running an NBA franchise would be to win championships, not just collect assets in perpetuity while ending up in no-man's land like their idol Danny Ainge over in Utah.

Houston fans are a perfect example right now. Acting like you have this 8-year contention window just because you have a bunch of good and fun young players is a mistake repeated over and over again by countless fanbases and organizations. If we've learned anything from the past half decade, it's that title windows are shorter than ever with the new CBA. Giannis is the type of basketball asset that comes along on the trade market once every like, 20-years, if not longer than that. And that's not even to say that Dallas is a team that definitely should trade Flagg for Giannis (I think it's debatable but they ultimately won't), but all these smug fans and beat writers having their "untouchables" in a Giannis trade is hilarious.

If anything, I might argue that Houston has a 0-year contending window unless they make a trade for someone like Giannis. No doubt it's a good, young team, but it's entirely possible they never reach title contender status unless they make a big move.

Yeah, exactly. "wE doNT NeEd gIANnis cUZ tiMELIneS" or something. Oh cool, you guys just got bounced in the 1st round by a Warriors team with a trio of geriatric stars from yesteryear. Have fun with your half decade treadmill because you held out hoping Amen Thompson was gonna transform into something more than Andrei Kirilenko. Like, as Bucks fans, we should know how dumb these kinds of arguments are. This is the "wouldn't trade Brandon Jennings for Chris Paul" thread, but worse.

[tedbrogen]

Of course teams like Washington, Charlotte, and Utah wouldn't trade #1 for Giannis. We all knew this. What's comical is saying that Flagg in a vacuum is more valuable than current Giannis as a basketball/trade asset because that's not the same thing. The monumentally stupid **** that these basketball hipster writers continue to pump out never ceases to amaze me. You'd think that the entire point of running an NBA franchise would be to win championships, not just collect assets in perpetuity while ending up in no-man's land like their idol Danny Ainge over in Utah.

Houston fans are a perfect example right now. Acting like you have this 8-year contention window just because you have a bunch of good and fun young players is a mistake repeated over and over again by countless fanbases and organizations. If we've learned anything from the past half decade, it's that title windows are shorter than ever with the new CBA. Giannis is the type of basketball asset that comes along on the trade market once every like, 20-years, if not longer than that. And that's not even to say that Dallas is a team that definitely should trade Flagg for Giannis (I think it's debatable but they ultimately won't), but all these smug fans and beat writers having their "untouchables" in a Giannis trade is hilarious.

If anything, I might argue that Houston has a 0-year contending window unless they make a trade for someone like Giannis. No doubt it's a good, young team, but it's entirely possible they never reach title contender status unless they make a big move.

Bingo. Their path to being an actual contender with an actual window is trade for a top five guy like Giannis or hope Amen turns into a top five guy before they have to pay everyone too much and end up in second apron hell.

The former basically guarantees them a window because they keep their excellent young cast around Giannis as the Bucks would likely take Amen/whatever salary Houston wants to include/picks.

The latter is much less likely to materialize because Amen is not guaranteed to become a top five guy and the clock is ticking on paying him and others.

Trading for KD MIGHT be a needle they could try to thread but he’s no longer a top five guy, would still cost them the Suns picks (maybe they save a couple other picks and swaps though), and they’d still have to send out max salary.

Is KD and Amen more of a contender than Giannis and the rest of their supporting cast?

[Plossum]

If Giannis really was made available for Flagg, the Mavs would be utterly stupid to say no. Giannis is one of the few real difference makers in the league and makes that team an instant contender.

Flagg is an impressive prospect but there is no guarantee about where his ceiling will hit. If he’s like prime Kevin Love or Paul George level for example then that’s cool and all but not enough to get you to the promised land.

Taking Giannis to pair with AD and Kyrie seems like a no brainer to me to have a pretty good 2-3 year window to make something happen. Your only issue is health.

[tedbrogen]

If Giannis really was made available for Flagg, the Mavs would be utterly stupid to say no. Giannis is one of the few real difference makers in the league and makes that team an instant contender.

Flagg is an impressive prospect but there is no guarantee about where his ceiling will hit. If he’s like prime Kevin Love or Paul George level for example then that’s cool and all but not enough to get you to the promised land.

Taking Giannis to pair with AD and Kyrie seems like a no brainer to me to have a pretty good 2-3 year window to make something happen. Your only issue is health.

How do they get enough salary to trade for Giannis without moving Kyrie or AD? Do they have some trade exceptions to combine with other players?

[ReasonablySober]

If Giannis really was made available for Flagg, the Mavs would be utterly stupid to say no. Giannis is one of the few real difference makers in the league and makes that team an instant contender.

Flagg is an impressive prospect but there is no guarantee about where his ceiling will hit. If he’s like prime Kevin Love or Paul George level for example then that’s cool and all but not enough to get you to the promised land.

Taking Giannis to pair with AD and Kyrie seems like a no brainer to me to have a pretty good 2-3 year window to make something happen. Your only issue is health.

How do they get enough salary to trade for Giannis without moving Kyrie or AD? Do they have some trade exceptions to combine with other players?

I don't really see how it's possible either, but my guess is if some GMs are determined to make it work, they'll find a way.

I was listening to Habberstroh on Bo's pod tonight and he was quick to point out that Nico is a Nike guy through and through, and Flagg is a new balance guy. He said it was a legit factor to consider when you think of Flagg vs Giannis for Dallas.

[ReasonablySober]

Saw this trade somewhere:

Dallas Mavericks Receive: Giannis Antetokounmpo

Milwaukee Bucks Receive: Max Christie, Daniel Gafford, Jordan Hawkins, Caleb Martin, Kelly Olynyk, 2025 No. 1 overall pick, 2026 first-round pick (their own, via New Orleans), 2027 first-round pick (their own, via New Orleans' swap rights)

New Orleans Pelicans Receive: Klay Thompson, Dereck Lively II, 2031 first-round pick (via Dallas)

It works. I think that's about as good a proposal as I've seen for all involved.