It is absoloutely Negligent of the Milwaukee Bucks to not field Giannis offers

[Lalouie]

It's literally negligent of the Bucks to not field offers.

There's no way around it, and I think this should be a separate post from the Giannis trade request. The Bucks are in deep, deep trouble.

2025 – 2nd Round (own): from Detroit via Pistons/Clippers/Portland/Washington chain
2026 – 1st round pick that New Orleans Pelican can swap, 2nd Round (own): top‑55 protected via Utah, but still directly theirs
2028 – 2nd Round (own): retained, no outgoing conditions noted
2031 – 2nd Round (own): part of long-term retained assets
2030 – 1st Round (own with swap rights): Portland holds swap rights but Bucks keep the pick
2031 – 1st Round (own): Bucks retain this unless traded

For their cap space:

2025–26:
Total salary: ~$164.8M
Still over the cap
No cap space (above 1st apron, possibly under 2nd apron

2026–27:
Total salary: ~$144.4M
Salary cap (projected): ~$152–155M
Slightly below cap possible, but likely still over due to hold/cap mechanics
Best-case space with cuts: ~$5–10M (still not "true" cap space for big moves)

2027–28 (Major Opportunity Year)
Total salary (projected): ~$65.3M
Giannis player option: $62.8M
Cap projection for 2027–28: ~$160–170M
Estimated cap space: ~$95–105M
Even with Giannis on the roster at ~$63M, they could:
Sign another max free agent
Fill out roster with high-level role players

So in the grand scheme of things, the only time that the Bucks will be able to field a decent competitive roster is in 2027-28 off season. They don't have their own first round pick until 2031, and 2027 /29 are swap right protected. If they bank on fielding a good team, there is a chance that Giannis might not opt in to his player option. In that case he'll walk away completely free to choose where he wants to play. Although I think Bucks are able to offer him the most salary

The Bucks best case scenario is if New Orleans gets in the lottery next year and so are the Bucks. New Orleans getting like a top 3, and the Bucks are drafting after that. Better yet they find a way to get out of Lillards contract. Then in 2027 they somehow sign free agents and a star max guy. They'll have to do some efficient cap spending though. Oh, and Giannis re-signs.

That's a tremendous amount of If's.

If I was a GM or a manager, I'd be working with GIannis to see the best option for the team, Giannis, and how to turn around the franchise. Cause let's be honest, this is a horrible horrible situation right now. You can roll the dice to try to get cap space in two years, but Giannis might simply have enough and want to compete again at his age. On the other hand, would your team be marketable to sign a free agent? Could you have the ability to without overpaying guys?

What the Bucks are doing now, "Business as usual" is a really, really bad choice of managing the team. And the onus is on the GM and management that got the team there.

giannis has never requested a trade - not before not now and maybe not ever. this topic is really(at it's core) an outgrowth of an erroneous assumption of some kind of trade that has no seed. this is some kind of strawman jean dixon crystal ball opinion,,,,,,but well thought out nonetheless

[basketballto]

You never trade Giannis unless you have to. People think 4/5 first rounders have this high value. The odds are 4/5 picks in their 20s will get you one starter two if you are lucky. 4/5 lottery picks and you are still not picking a Giannis but that's the baseline of value. The Bucks need young stars or existing stars.

You find the right guy and build a team around that person. Is Giannis still that guy? Yes and he is in his prime. Next year injuries will limit the second best player but they still have a good chance at making the playoffs and with Boston out could be in the finals. And people are suggesting to trade that all away and accept worse players.

What I'm betting on is without Dame Giannis goes back to his preferred style and the role players start looking like allstars. I wouldn't be surprised to see Gary Trent shooting 3s at the allstar skills contest.

[FarBeyondDriven]

Giannis has been and will continue to be a top 3 player. It's a small market team and since they can't attract FAs the only way to really build a contender is through the draft and trades. When a small market hits on an elite player they're compelled to stick with them in hopes they stay for their whole career and add to the legacy of the franchise. When you have an MVP candidate you are always making the playoffs and are a move or two away from being a contender. Giannis would need to ask/demand a trade. You can't fault the Bucks for not entertaining deals without him doing so. If Giannis trusts the buffoon running things and/or is content not every contending again that's his prerogative.

[doogie_hauser]

It constantly amuses (and annoys me) greatly that bigger market teams like The Heat, Knicks, Lakers etc should be entitled to trade for Giannis for the poo poo platter they can offer.

I think it is a Big Market Entitlement syndrome amongst those fan bases and individual player stans which annoys me lot.

Giannis seems very happy at Milwaukee, why can't everyone leave it at that..

Bucks are not obliged to trade him whatsoever at this point unless he asks out, which he clearly is not going to too.

So many selfish fans in the league these days (especially from those big market teams I mentioned)

[Swift21]

Both sides have cold feet but more so Giannis does to ask for the trade. That's the way it looks to me.

[jezzerinho]

Giannis has been and will continue to be a top 3 player. It's a small market team and since they can't attract FAs the only way to really build a contender is through the draft and trades. When a small market hits on an elite player they're compelled to stick with them in hopes they stay for their whole career and add to the legacy of the franchise. When you have an MVP candidate you are always making the playoffs and are a move or two away from being a contender. Giannis would need to ask/demand a trade. You can't fault the Bucks for not entertaining deals without him doing so. If Giannis trusts the buffoon running things and/or is content not every contending again that's his prerogative.

This. As a Magic fan - it's a young franchise true but we've never had a homegrown star stay, commit and become a local legend. Penny might have been that legend if not for injuries. But Shaq and Howard bolted. Just as with Mikwaukee, the FOs were somewhat complicit in creating the situation (esp with Shaq), but that's little consolation to the fans when the local hero leaves.

Shaq got his jersey retired recently in Orl, with not a little opinion against it happening. Dwight is now back sweet-talking ORL to anyone who'll listen about the error of his ways and how he should have stayed. Maybe he even means it. It's only when great players retire they realise how legacy usually outweighs dollars.

I can understand a Bucks fan worrying that Giannis staying will only make their future worse. But, in the long run anyway, I believe him staying will vastly outweigh some temporary asset bump.

[Sane]

It's really crazy. You have 0 faith that you can build a team worth a damn if you trade him, but you believe that very same front office will figure out a way to build around him in the most disgusting most complex capped out situation.

It's a scam on the fans and Giannis is a real idiot if he believes in a front office that doesn't believe in itself. He's just going to get more frustrated and next season when he has only one season remaining he'll be able to force his way to any team he likes.

It’s much more difficult to build a team that has a top 3 player than it is to fill out role players. I don’t think you’re coming to the table in good faith if you’re suggesting it’s easier to start over from scratch.

That's the most insane thing I've ever heard. Every season the NBA is littered with several teams who are stuck around an expensive roster. Maybe 1 out of each 10 teams that tank and rebuild will become a cautionary tale. Treadmill teams are way more common.

There are people here who have been a part of franchises that are not major cities and are almost always between good and great. The days of teams outside the big markets not knowing how to rebuild is over. It's completely over, there's a working model and anyone can guarantee you your low bar of 3 straight first round exits with an overpriced roster if that's what you're clinging on to. Most do better than that.

You just accumulate picks slowly until you have roughly 12 picks. It's that simple. You wait as long as it takes. Might take 3 years, might take 5 years. There's no deadline. With Giannis, you have a deadline. Given your username I bet you think it's longer, but historically elite players who rely on athleticism and have gone to the FT line a lot will always be done younger than skilled players. Giannis has 2-3 years left of being your 1A before you'll have to get him a 1A. It's ridiculous to say it's easier to turn a 1st round exit capped out roster into a champion within a few years, than it is to rebuild with no deadline.

Before you say you can ride it out with Giannis then rebuild, first of all you're not understanding that you're wasting a star's career. He has to retire from his job in his 30's. Might not matter to you that he ho-hummed his way through those last years so the Nigerian man can dance and entertain you, but it matters to everyone else on the planet including Giannis. This is serious stuff. His job is not like your job. His passion has an expiry date.

Talk about good faith. You literally are terrified of being relevant without Giannis. What are you going to do when he retires? That's it, it's over for the Bucks franchise? Even with the elite draft picks you'd get from Giannis you don't believe you can build something worth a damn? That's where you're coming from a place of irrational fear so please, don't talk to me about good faith. You've forgotten that Giannis was not a superstar before he became a superstar.

[jezzerinho]

It's really crazy. You have 0 faith that you can build a team worth a damn if you trade him, but you believe that very same front office will figure out a way to build around him in the most disgusting most complex capped out situation.

It's a scam on the fans and Giannis is a real idiot if he believes in a front office that doesn't believe in itself. He's just going to get more frustrated and next season when he has only one season remaining he'll be able to force his way to any team he likes.

It’s much more difficult to build a team that has a top 3 player than it is to fill out role players. I don’t think you’re coming to the table in good faith if you’re suggesting it’s easier to start over from scratch.

That's the most insane thing I've ever heard. Every season the NBA is littered with several teams who are stuck around an expensive roster. Maybe 1 out of each 10 teams that tank and rebuild will become a cautionary tale. Treadmill teams are way more common.

There are people here who have been a part of franchises that are not major cities and are almost always between good and great. The days of teams outside the big markets not knowing how to rebuild is over. It's completely over, there's a working model and anyone can guarantee you your low bar of 3 straight first round exits with an overpriced roster if that's what you're clinging on to. Most do better than that.

You just accumulate picks slowly until you have roughly 12 picks. It's that simple. You wait as long as it takes. Might take 3 years, might take 5 years. There's no deadline. With Giannis, you have a deadline. Given your username I bet you think it's longer, but historically elite players who rely on athleticism and have gone to the FT line a lot will always be done younger than skilled players. Giannis has 2-3 years left of being your 1A before you'll have to get him a 1A. It's ridiculous to say it's easier to turn a 1st round exit capped out roster into a champion within a few years, than it is to rebuild with no deadline.

Before you say you can ride it out with Giannis then rebuild, first of all you're not understanding that you're wasting a star's career. He has to retire from his job in his 30's. Might not matter to you that he ho-hummed his way through those last years so the Nigerian man can dance and entertain you, but it matters to everyone else on the planet including Giannis. This is serious stuff. His job is not like your job. His passion has an expiry date.

Talk about good faith. You literally are terrified of being relevant without Giannis. What are you going to do when he retires? That's it, it's over for the Bucks franchise? Even with the elite draft picks you'd get from Giannis you don't believe you can build something worth a damn? That's where you're coming from a place of irrational fear so please, don't talk to me about good faith. You've forgotten that Giannis was not a superstar before he became a superstar.

A very poorly thought out and worded paragraph on your part. I get what you intended, but that was very offside. And in the end, if GA decides to stay it was HIS choice. You're pretending like you want him to choose but you clearly don't.

[AmusingFiddle]

Unless its a package that lands you the 1st pick in this year draft it doesn't make sense.
Would DAL or Dallas fans be ok with trading Flagg and salary fillers for Giannis? Probably would need a 3rd/4th team to make it happen.

Sent from my SM-S938U1 using RealGM mobile app

[NoStatsGuy]

it honestly should be in the bucks best interest to gget off Giannis' and Dame's contracts.

This era is over. Now, if giannis explicitly says he wants to be a buck for life its a different story. Or is this all about filling seats in the arena? because that is the only logical reason to stick with giannis.

[pepe1991]

Problem with Bucks and idea of holding Giannis is that they have nothing. Like, literally, worst situation in nba since Nets were tanking for Celtics. Dead team for next 4-5 years.

They don't have cap space, they don't attract FAs ( nor have money for any) and they have 1/3rd of cap space tied in dead cap of Dame.

Their have near $140M tied into Giannis, Dame and Kuzma.

Kuzma is unplayable bum, Dame is defacto retired body that only exists in their salary books, Portis won't return, Lopez is like 53 years old and UFA.

They don't have picks.


They are dead team. Only thing they have going for them is Giannis trade to get some picks, young players and assets back.


Giannis is either loyal and dumb or just dumb. He will waste his late prime to play on 40 wins team without any hope of getting better until day he is retired.

Bucks are also either dumb or just serve owner with zero basketball motivations behind keeping Giannis. Giannis = money for owner, rebuild = piss poor money income. Either way fans lose.

Naturally, they don't even have 2025 first round pick, 2026 pick will be subject of swap with Pelicans, just like 2027.
Because so much money is tied into 3 players ( two are impossible to trade without attaching bonus value, one Bucks don't have) , they can't even do smaller trades because there is nobody with average salary to be moved. It's bunch of vet minimum players.
Pat Connaughton and his player option? That's your biggest trade chip? For God's sake


Just trade Giannis to Houston and get some Brooks, Jabari, Sheppard,picks back, at least you will have some future. Something. Right now it's less than nothing. It's empty space and 5-7 years until you can even start rebuild. Basically looking toward decade of existence in vacuum.

[Johnny Bball]

This is misguided. Treadmill team with a top 3 player who the fans love is a pretty damn good situation for a franchise like Milwaukee. It will be a long time before they get a player of his caliber again. If he's happy to stay then they are absolutely right to keep him.

It's not misguided at all. I don't think it's as cut and dry as just having a top 3 player and calling it a day. Sure, having Giannis is a huge asset, and I agree it’s rare to have a player of his caliber, especially in a small market city like Milwaukee but it doesn't make it a "pretty damn good situation". It’s also about what you have and how you surround him with the right pieces to truly compete for championships. The Bucks might have a narrow window, but there’s a real risk of becoming stagnant or losing Giannis when he realizes it’s not going anywhere and it's just a matter of time if that continues before his loyalty is tested. Without Giannis they might give the Wizards and Jazz a run for their money at the lottery and that's not a good situation at all. Yes, the fanbase loves him, but loyalty only goes so far when you're stuck on the treadmill of mediocrity. They can't just sit back and hope it works out.

The Bucks have made every move Giannis has asked for. So they've shown loyalty. Giannis staying is simply returning the favor.

I think this is the entire problem and that is why they should trade him. Because they felt they had to make those moves when they were never in the best interest to him or the team.

He has been loyal, that's for sure. I just would consider everything done to this point was recipricol enough.

[hardenASG13]

Eh, Banchero with 2 solid role players plus Milwaukee's supporting cast without Giannis is likely a high lotto team in the East, quite clearly a very crappy version of who the Magic just were. That's the crux of the problem with 99.9% of Giannis trades suggested, they just aren't feasible to do without the Bucks either giving away Giannis for practically nothing OR, the other team is trading their entire roster and thus the remaining team left + Giannis wouldn't even be a favorite to contend.

Giving up Banchero with the idea you'd have 5-8 playoff runs with Giannis is crazy. I'd be shocked if hes an all NBA player at 35, even more so at 38. His body is breaking down and he has no jumper. Banchero is one of the best young players in the league. You don't give him up for the tail end of giannis prime.

lol at your reasoning. Don’t want to give up Banchero? Sure. Have a quality take. Aging Giannis like he’s a bum, poor take. Be better.

Giannis isn't a bum now. Far from it, obviously. You think the magic are title contenders if they trade Banchero for him lol? What about 4 years from now, when hes 34 and Banchero will be 26? So your take is that the magic should go "all in" for the last few years of Giannis prime and that he'd elevate them to title contenders replacing Banchero? You think Giannis will age well? Yeah, lots of players who rely on size/athleticism play great into their mid/late 30s. Name a few haha. Hes not LeBron, practically nobody is.

Banchero is 6'10, 250-260 and can score anywhere on the floor. Hes elite at getting to the line. He averaged 20ppg as a 19 year old rookie, was an all star in his second year and would've been last year if not for injury. He was pretty good in the playoffs, too. I wouldn't trade his entire prime, say the next 10 years when he'll be one of the top players in the league, for a couple more years of Giannis', no.

[GiannisAnte34]

It’s much more difficult to build a team that has a top 3 player than it is to fill out role players. I don’t think you’re coming to the table in good faith if you’re suggesting it’s easier to start over from scratch.

That's the most insane thing I've ever heard. Every season the NBA is littered with several teams who are stuck around an expensive roster. Maybe 1 out of each 10 teams that tank and rebuild will become a cautionary tale. Treadmill teams are way more common.

There are people here who have been a part of franchises that are not major cities and are almost always between good and great. The days of teams outside the big markets not knowing how to rebuild is over. It's completely over, there's a working model and anyone can guarantee you your low bar of 3 straight first round exits with an overpriced roster if that's what you're clinging on to. Most do better than that.

You just accumulate picks slowly until you have roughly 12 picks. It's that simple. You wait as long as it takes. Might take 3 years, might take 5 years. There's no deadline. With Giannis, you have a deadline. Given your username I bet you think it's longer, but historically elite players who rely on athleticism and have gone to the FT line a lot will always be done younger than skilled players. Giannis has 2-3 years left of being your 1A before you'll have to get him a 1A. It's ridiculous to say it's easier to turn a 1st round exit capped out roster into a champion within a few years, than it is to rebuild with no deadline.

Before you say you can ride it out with Giannis then rebuild, first of all you're not understanding that you're wasting a star's career. He has to retire from his job in his 30's. Might not matter to you that he ho-hummed his way through those last years so the Nigerian man can dance and entertain you, but it matters to everyone else on the planet including Giannis. This is serious stuff. His job is not like your job. His passion has an expiry date.

Talk about good faith. You literally are terrified of being relevant without Giannis. What are you going to do when he retires? That's it, it's over for the Bucks franchise? Even with the elite draft picks you'd get from Giannis you don't believe you can build something worth a damn? That's where you're coming from a place of irrational fear so please, don't talk to me about good faith. You've forgotten that Giannis was not a superstar before he became a superstar.

A very poorly thought out and worded paragraph on your part. I get what you intended, but that was very offside. And in the end, if GA decides to stay it was HIS choice. You're pretending like you want him to choose but you clearly don't.

I’m not sure if he intended to troll or not, but it comes across that way with the hyperbole. Makes it sound like Giannis is in the gulag against his will.

[Wolveswin]

Giving up Banchero with the idea you'd have 5-8 playoff runs with Giannis is crazy. I'd be shocked if hes an all NBA player at 35, even more so at 38. His body is breaking down and he has no jumper. Banchero is one of the best young players in the league. You don't give him up for the tail end of giannis prime.

lol at your reasoning. Don’t want to give up Banchero? Sure. Have a quality take. Aging Giannis like he’s a bum, poor take. Be better.

Giannis isn't a bum now. Far from it, obviously. You think the magic are title contenders if they trade Banchero for him lol? What about 4 years from now, when hes 34 and Banchero will be 26? So your take is that the magic should go "all in" for the last few years of Giannis prime and that he'd elevate them to title contenders replacing Banchero? You think Giannis will age well? Yeah, lots of players who rely on size/athleticism play great into their mid/late 30s. Name a few haha. Hes not LeBron, practically nobody is.

Banchero is 6'10, 250-260 and can score anywhere on the floor. Hes elite at getting to the line. He averaged 20ppg as a 19 year old rookie, was an all star in his second year and would've been last year if not for injury. He was pretty good in the playoffs, too. I wouldn't trade his entire prime, say the next 10 years when he'll be one of the top players in the league, for a couple more years of Giannis', no.

Giannis is a top 3 player and will remain so for next many years. That isn’t debatable. How many years we are not sure.

What is debatable is how good Banchero is now (not near top 3) and will become. You assume in your take he will progress like progression is a given. You Ignore he could flat line or long long odds he ever becomes Giannis level good.

Do Magic give up some prime years of Bancehro for the guaranteed prime years for Giannis - of course. Give to get. Give the maybe to get the sure thing.

[pepe1991]

Giving up Banchero with the idea you'd have 5-8 playoff runs with Giannis is crazy. I'd be shocked if hes an all NBA player at 35, even more so at 38. His body is breaking down and he has no jumper. Banchero is one of the best young players in the league. You don't give him up for the tail end of giannis prime.

lol at your reasoning. Don’t want to give up Banchero? Sure. Have a quality take. Aging Giannis like he’s a bum, poor take. Be better.

Giannis isn't a bum now. Far from it, obviously. You think the magic are title contenders if they trade Banchero for him lol? What about 4 years from now, when hes 34 and Banchero will be 26? So your take is that the magic should go "all in" for the last few years of Giannis prime and that he'd elevate them to title contenders replacing Banchero? You think Giannis will age well? Yeah, lots of players who rely on size/athleticism play great into their mid/late 30s. Name a few haha. Hes not LeBron, practically nobody is.

Banchero is 6'10, 250-260 and can score anywhere on the floor. Hes elite at getting to the line. He averaged 20ppg as a 19 year old rookie, was an all star in his second year and would've been last year if not for injury. He was pretty good in the playoffs, too. I wouldn't trade his entire prime, say the next 10 years when he'll be one of the top players in the league, for a couple more years of Giannis', no.

Magic won't do that trade because very few stars have been produced by Orlando that actually stay in Orlando for 5+ years, but Banchero as player today isn't top 20 player.

You say he can score from anywhere? No, he can and does- take shots from everywhere, but is yet to prove he can be efficient. From anywhere.

This year in playoffs 36% usage rate, 51,6% TS.
Year prior , 34% usage, 54% TS.

Regular season career 30% usage, 54% TS. Aside from his size, his efficiency and style of play, he is closer to 6'10 Derozan than some Lebron type.

And his defense isn't good. Period. At times it's awful especially when he gets frustrated on offense.

Giannis is top 3-4 player for years. Banchero has whole lot of things to improve to become top 10. For start he should shoot less and be more reliable scorer, not just high usage volume shooter.

On top of that Magic's offense with him as guy with highest usage flat out sucks. Like, we broke 10 years old record as worst 3 point shooting team for a season , guess who contributes to that? 6 - 3FGA a game, 32% accuracy.

[165bows]

Both sides have cold feet but more so Giannis does to ask for the trade. That's the way it looks to me.

They couldn’t get a good offer for where he wanted to go is my take on it.

I agree with the OP the Bucks have a really bad situation going on outside of Giannis.

[Black Jack]

Look at it like this, your brokest ugliest friend marries a super hot chick and they are living happily in a rundown place, bad standard of living etc. They love each other so they're happy.

If they're happy, let them live!

[Snakebites]

I don’t get why anyone who isn’t a fan of a team that thought they could land him is unhappy about this.

Is the novelty of seeing players in new uniforms really that alluring? Because in terms of competitive balance and (relative) balance between conferences this is a good thing.

[Nuntius]

Look I agree they shouldn't move him if he wants to stay but he clearly doesn't want to stay

Except that he does want to stay and has never stated otherwise.