The Milwaukee Bucks are the No. 4 seed in the top-heavy Eastern Conference, giving them a decent shot to come out of the postseason victorious, assuming the roster remains healthy.
However, there’s also a strong chance the Bucks draw a tough second-round matchup, leading to yet another early playoff exit. If this occurs, superstar forward Giannis Antetokounmpo could request a trade out of Milwaukee. Antetokounmpo is in his prime at 30 years old while All-Star guard Damian Lillard has even less time to hoist the Larry O’Brien Trophy at age 34.
Because of this possible circumstance, Yahoo Sports’ Tom Haberstroh proposed a three-team blockbuster involving Antetokounmpo and Lillard. While this move was pitched prior to the Feb. 6 trade deadline, the Bucks potentially coming up short in the postseason means it will remain a plausible route for all parties involved.
The full hypothetical trade details are as follows:
Warriors Receive: Giannis Antetokounmpo
Rockets Receive: Damian Lillard
Bucks Receive: Reed Sheppard, Jonathan Kuminga, Fred VanVleet, Bevy of First-Round Picks
“The new ownership in Milwaukee hears Giannis getting all starry-eyed wanting international players going to the top markets and says fine,” Haberstroh wrote. “With Khris Middleton’s unreliability, it’s time to hit the reset button and build the franchise in its own vision.”
This deal would give Antetokounmpo and Lillard strong chances at a ring with the No. 5 and No. 6 seeds in the Western Conference, respectively. Meanwhile, the Bucks get two rising stars in Sheppard and Kuminga while VanVleet can keep Milwaukee out of the bottom feeders tier.
“Houston gets Lillard, the elite 3-point shooter and gravitational pull they so desperately need. Steph gets his Luka in the form of the Greek Freak (Antetokounmpo’s agency also represents Curry, by the way). Milwaukee’s second apron restrictions may complicate matters, but that’s what the three teams’ cap gurus are billed for,” Haberstroh concluded.
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