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

[JKiddy]

MIL has a GET OUT OF JAIL CARD which they can use now and restart the franchise.

He has enough value they can likely pawn off Dame at the same time.

They have zero chance of competing in 2026 and it looks like the same will be said for 2027 UNLESS they can super tank those seasons with their own picks. There is a chance they can do that. But, as of now their future is bleaker than PHX.

If they do not trade Giannis at his peak now and let it ride and no longer contend for the next decade, would they have fumbled the bag to keep Giannis there and not compete after decimating their entire player and draft asset pool?

I want honest opinions as I know it is much easier to see the writing on the wall as an outsider. The emotional value of keeping Giannis is huge. But, the ability to win a title from 2025-2035/40 might also have some value to fans as well with a new competitive roster.

[ropjhk]

Do we need a Giannis sticky thread?

[taikibansei]

Do we need a Giannis sticky thread?

The OP received great feedback to this very post on the "trades and transactions" board...but apparently didn't like that feedback!

viewtopic.php?f=2&t=2461190&start=769

[th87]

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.

Orlando jerked Shaq around on his contract, which is why he left. Milwaukee has done the complete opposite, essentially letting Giannis run the team. Completely different situations.

[th87]

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.

You should be ashamed for putting something so absurd into existence.

[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.

Multiple sources like Shams have leaked that he wants to leave.

It's clearly a situation where he is going to leave in the near future whether it's this year or next because at the end of the day it's clear through what has been leaked even the stuff around him staying that he wants to win and MIL is in a terrible position to do that.

Guys like Shams get most of their inside information from the player's agents and their teams (often in a quid pro quo) but that's not something that can be easily done in Giannis' case. You see, Giannis isn't represented by Klutch Sports, CAA or any of the other well-known agencies. His agent is Alex Saratsis of Octagon Basketball, an agency that focuses on international players. Saratsis was himself born in Greece and then moved to the US at a young age which probably played a role on how much easier it was for him to relate with Giannis and for them to develop a good working relationship.

Saratsis has exactly two other big names as clients. Steph Curry and Bam Adebayo. Neither of these two players has ever asked to be traded. I don't think that either has hinted at it either. He has some other NBA clients on mostly rookie deals (Ochai Agbaji, Taylor Hendricks, Cam Thomas) but a significant percentage of his clientele either plays internationally (Dimitris Agravanis, Ben Bentil, Marcelinho Huertas, Georgios Kalaitzakis, Mindaugas Kupsas, Luca Vildoza, Thomas Walkup, Tomas Satoransky) or are international players playing in the NBA/looking to make the NBA (Vit Krejci, Neoklis Avdalas, Alex Antetokounmpo).

The point I'm trying to make here is that this isn't the kind of agent that you'll get a lot of inside information from. They have no incentive to give you that information.

[th87]

Giannis: But after nine consecutive trips to the playoffs, the second longest active streak among teams, the Bucks have few pathways available to improve the team, leading to a scintillating question teams across the league are debating: If Giannis Antetokounmpo wins a second ring, will it be in Milwaukee -- or not?

Sitting at the lectern postgame, he knew the question was coming.

"I'm not going to do this," Antetokounmpo said. "I'm not going to do that. I know how it's going to translate. I don't know, man. I wish I was still playing. I wish I was still competing and going back and working out.

"I don't know."
MIL fans: He's all in

Shams: Sources: Giannis Antetokounmpo to explore best fits outside of Milwaukee
https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/45109801/sources-giannis-antetokounmpo-explore-best-fits-milwaukee
MIL fans: He's just exploring like Christopher Columbus

Shams: Same article three teams he would consider being traded to the Lakers, Heat, and Knicks.
Month later Giannis twitter: What are your favorite road cities? New York and Florida.

Read on Twitter

Read on Twitter

MIL fans: Shams is a hater with no sources

ESPN articles spun out of nothing to excite the casuals. Working as designed, I see.

[Nuntius]

Giannis: But after nine consecutive trips to the playoffs, the second longest active streak among teams, the Bucks have few pathways available to improve the team, leading to a scintillating question teams across the league are debating: If Giannis Antetokounmpo wins a second ring, will it be in Milwaukee -- or not?

Sitting at the lectern postgame, he knew the question was coming.

"I'm not going to do this," Antetokounmpo said. "I'm not going to do that. I know how it's going to translate. I don't know, man. I wish I was still playing. I wish I was still competing and going back and working out.

"I don't know."
MIL fans: He's all in

Shams: Sources: Giannis Antetokounmpo to explore best fits outside of Milwaukee
https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/45109801/sources-giannis-antetokounmpo-explore-best-fits-milwaukee
MIL fans: He's just exploring like Christopher Columbus

Shams: Same article three teams he would consider being traded to the Lakers, Heat, and Knicks.
Month later Giannis twitter: What are your favorite road cities? New York and Florida.

Read on Twitter

Read on Twitter

MIL fans: Shams is a hater with no sources

The problem with your theory that this is just "Milwaukee fans" is that I have consistently pushed back against any notions of Giannis leaving Milwaukee and I'm not a Bucks fan at all. Just ask all the Bucks fans that I argued against during our playoff series

[th87]

MIL has a GET OUT OF JAIL CARD which they can use now and restart the franchise.

He has enough value they can likely pawn off Dame at the same time.

They have zero chance of competing in 2026 and it looks like the same will be said for 2027 UNLESS they can super tank those seasons with their own picks. There is a chance they can do that. But, as of now their future is bleaker than PHX.

If they do not trade Giannis at his peak now and let it ride and no longer contend for the next decade, would they have fumbled the bag to keep Giannis there and not compete after decimating their entire player and draft asset pool?

I want honest opinions as I know it is much easier to see the writing on the wall as an outsider. The emotional value of keeping Giannis is huge. But, the ability to win a title from 2025-2035/40 might also have some value to fans as well with a new competitive roster.

Very remote chance the return results in anything more than a treadmill team.

Giannis gives you a puncher's chance against anyone.

[th87]

hasn't Giannis said its a priority for him to win another ring before he retires? if so, i dont think the idea of riding it out for the foreseeable future, with a ceiling of 1st round playoff exits, is really on the table.

as much as I want him to be a MIL lifer for the sake of the fans there, and his own legacy in the city, the idea that getting a second ring is his priority is an uncomfortable truth that the MIL FO needs to take seriously imo.

so the logic becomes something like "can we put a 30+ y/o Giannis in a position to get a second ring before his athleticism-based game erodes?" if the answer is "yes", you keep him and communicate the plan, and put in a good faith effort to get him there. even for the best teams each year, a chip isn't guaranteed, and he'll understand that. but if the answer is "no" then the best thing to do is to trade him asap to a place he wants to go, that would also allow you to start a rebuild.

i think most fans here believe the answer is "no" which is why so many folks are already suggesting trade packages and such. and just as a fan, i would tend to agree that given the current state of the MIL roster outside Giannis, it is hard to see a path.

i appreciate Giannis as a person and a player, so I would hate to be a MIL fan going through this. you have a humble, hard working, generational player who doesn't want to chase bright lights, and he has brought so much joy back to nba fandom there. but he wants to win another ring, and it would have to be in the next ~3-5 years. they cant draft him a co-star with no picks, and sadly Dame doesn't seem like he can stay healthy enough to be that guy anymore. so how do you put a chip quality roster around him?

He'd like to win a ring, but organically, unlike Lebron and Durant, who think that stacking the deck in their favor is an honorable and valid way to win.

Superstar entitlement culture has rotted some fans' minds.

[TheAlchemist]

Do we need a Giannis sticky thread?

The OP received great feedback to this very post on the "trades and transactions" board...but apparently didn't like that feedback!

viewtopic.php?f=2&t=2461190&start=769

What feedback?

I didn't post anything in that thread.

[Ron Swanson]

What a sad, pathetic, and predictable reaction so many people in the media and on this very site are having now that it turns out (once again) this was all just manufactured BS by the same clowns (Shams, Windhorst) that have been trying to drum up Giannis trade/free agency drama for years. Take your own advice, because some of you appear to be still firmly stuck in the "denial" stage of grief.

"bUt tHIS dOeSn'T MeAN aNythinG, hE CoULD sTilL rEQuesT a TradE IN a cOUPle mONthS"

[th87]

Read on Twitter

Read on Twitter

[AlexanderRight]

Milwaukee went almost 20 years without winning a series after that Ray Allen run. They got Giannis, and now they supposed to give him away and blow everything up? Foh. If Giannis wants to stay, Milwaukee should gladly keep him. They've already won a title and have been a 50 win team since then. Guy's acting like they're bottom feeders or something.

Not bottom feeders at the moment but if they don't make any moves they will be soon. Giannis at this point still has tremendous value, but his value will start to decline likely from now on. To me the peak moment to make the Giannis trade is now, as it's painfully obvious they are not winning the title anymore with the current roster. Now there is a window to breathe new life into the Bucks organization, but how I see it that window might closing pretty fast.

You're never going to be a bottom feeder with the player like Giannis. He's an all time talent and has been arguably the best player in the world for what, at least 5 years? Baring injury, he's got at least another 5 years of star level play in him which any franchise would gladly build around.

Everyone agrees the Bucks got some moves to make. Moving on from the guy that just got done averaging 30/12/6/1/1 on 60% shooting ain't one of them...

[anotherhomer]

Raptors fan, natch.

why is it our "raptor" fans that make all of us look stupid....

In short, NO. If Giannis wants to stay, you keep him.

[doogie_hauser]

Raptors fan, natch.

why is it our "raptor" fans that make all of us look stupid....

In short, NO. If Giannis wants to stay, you keep him.

I hate this arrogant notion from some fans/posters who seem to think The Bucks are obliged to trade Giannis to a contender.

If he wants to stay, you keep him as you say

A lot can change in the next few years in the NBA landscape

[SportsGuru08]

I'm shocked Giannis hasn't already requested a trade. It's not like there aren't multiple suitors with plenty of draft picks to offer.

[JKiddy]

I think he traveled and had the option to build a team elsewhere. They either told him to stop pushing for the trade which would diminish their returns OR he truthfully loves MIL which is fine.

He has earned their respect. He might go down as a Top 20 player ever. Some might say he did not deserve a title because he made sure he injured someone. That is a very tough call there. He might have made sure not to not let the player not be injured. But, he might not have 100% purposely hurt them.

There will always be questions about titles. But, he delivered one to MIL regardless of his tactics. He is a great player and he might not care about winning another title this upcoming season. He might feel like he can get one more before he retires in MIL if they rebuild around him for 5 years.

That is why I honestly was on the fence on what I would do if I were him and wanted a truly 100% honest take.

At the end of the day, he plays a child's game and likely will be $500M richer because of it, so he can do whatever he wants!

[ReasonablySober]

I think he traveled and had the option to build a team elsewhere. They either told him to stop pushing for the trade which would diminish their returns OR he truthfully loves MIL which is fine.

He has earned their respect. He might go down as a Top 20 player ever. Some might say he did not deserve a title because he made sure he injured someone. That is a very tough call there. He might have made sure not to not let the player not be injured. But, he might not have 100% purposely hurt them.

There will always be questions about titles. But, he delivered one to MIL regardless of his tactics. He is a great player and he might not care about winning another title this upcoming season. He might feel like he can get one more before he retires in MIL if they rebuild around him for 5 years.

That is why I honestly was on the fence on what I would do if I were him and wanted a truly 100% honest take.

At the end of the day, he plays a child's game and likely will be $500M richer because of it, so he can do whatever he wants!

wat

[Bernman]

This is sour grapes from whiners who are miffed they not only can't get Giannis, but for a cut-rate price, while acting like they're doing a service.

The Bucks were outstanding w/ that 5-man lineup of Bobby-Giannis-Green-Trent-KPJ. Were #1 in the NBA in 3-pt efficiency. Giannis, elite 3-pt shooting, and solid d is a formula. KPJ is also a wild card, w/ his 21/7/7 per 36, & being +21 per 100 w/ Giannis.

They can at least see what this team does by the deadline. Giannis would still have 2 playoffs of team control in him. And if Giannis wants to help out to maximize winning, he could sign off on canning the worst coach in the NBA.