The Milwaukee Bucks will have to decide the future of Giannis Antetokounmpo this summer. Antetokounmpo seemed to waffle back and forth all season long about whether or not he wanted to stay in Milwaukee. Now, it seems very likely he will be moved.
Antetokounmpo is going to be the biggest name available on the trade market this summer. Several teams will make calls about trade packages for Antetokounmpo. Despite his recent injury problems, he is still one of the best players in the NBA.
A wild trade proposal from Bleacher Report has him go to the Denver Nuggets to pair him up with Nikola Jokic.
GettyMilwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo dribbles the ball. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images)
Trade Idea Sees Bucks Send Giannis Antetokounmpo to Denver
Here is the full trade proposal:
Nuggets Receive: Giannis Antetokounmpo and Kyle Kuzma
Bucks Receive: Jamal Murray, Aaron Gordon, a 2026 first-round pick, a 2031 first-round pick swap, and a 2026 second-round pick (via Atlanta)
Adding Murray and Gordon would allow the Bucks to continue to compete next season. With Myles Turner still on the roster, they would be able to build around those three players, even though Turner was terrible in his first season in Milwaukee.
Getting a 2026 first-round pick from Denver doesn’t do them much good in terms of a rebuild, since that pick won’t be very good. While this is a stacked draft, getting a pick that sits 26th isn’t ideal. Who knows how good the 2031 draft will be, as well.
This is a great trade for the Nuggets, as they would be able to pair Antetokounmpo with Jokic. Those two are two of the five best players in the NBA. That would help them keep pace with the Thunder and the Spurs in the Western Conference.
This is a trade that the Bucks would only consider if they are committed to trying to make the playoffs for the next couple of seasons. If they want to tear down the team and go for a full rebuild, they should try to go a different route.
GettyMilwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo drives the ball. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images)
The Bucks Will Wait for the Perfect Deal for Giannis Antetokounmpo
With so many teams wanting Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee doesn’t need to rush into a deal. They can afford to be patient for the perfect deal. A good trade for Antetokounmpo could set them up for the future of the franchise and the post-Antetokounmpo era.
Jon Horst is going to be the one who makes these decisions. He has to make sure that he gets the right value in return for Antetokounmpo. If he doesn’t, it could cost him his job down the line. Horst already made the bad decision to sign Turner to a massive deal and use the waive-and-stretch provision on Damian Lillard.
Milwaukee will be making a decision on Antetokounmpo’s future before the NBA Draft. That way, they can possibly get some draft picks in return for him. That means Milwaukee has just a few weeks to make a decision.
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