As we march toward the NBA offseason, one question remains in the minds of NBA fans: Does Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo choose to stay in Milwaukee or seek a fresh start somewhere else?
After spending 12 seasons with the franchise that drafted him, Antetokounmpo is pondering the end of his time in Milwaukee.If the Greek Freak chooses to demand a trade, his value will likely command a significant return, likely a promising mix of young players and draft picks to jumpstart a rebuild for the Bucks.
Bleacher Report’s Eric Pincus has proposed a blockbuster four-team trade that sends Giannis Antetokounmpo to the Toronto Raptors.
In this trade, the Raptors receive Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jalen Smith, and Javeon Carter from the Chicago Bulls. At the same time, the Bucks get RJ Barrett, Gradey Dick, Chris Boucher, Ja’Kobe Walker, Gabe Vincent, and draft capital.
Meanwhile, the Lakers would receive Poeltl and Lonzo Ball, and the Chicago Bulls would receive Dalton Knecht, Jarred Vanderbilt, Shake Milton, AJ Lawson, and a number of draft picks.
“Milwaukee can not trade him, but the leverage only weakens after the offseason, with limited flexibility at the trade deadline in February,” Pincus wrote. “Once in the final year of their deal, an NBA superstar has all the power.”
He references De’Aaron Fox to the Spurs as a cautionary tale.
He added, “The Spurs didn’t need to give up as much at the deadline to get De’Aaron Fox, who specifically pushed his way to San Antonio from the Sacramento Kings. This is the fate the Bucks are toying with by not acceding to Antetokounmpo’s (theoretical) demands.”
“Like how the Kings didn’t get Rookie of the Year Stephon Castle (and certainly not Victor Wembanyama), Barnes isn’t on the table. That’s what the haul of picks is for, along with young players Barrett (almost 25), Dick (21) and Walter (20). Milwaukee replenishes some of its weakened draft capital with the giant cache from Toronto.”
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This proposed deal would be a massive shift for Milwaukee. After years of contention, the Bucks would hit the reset button after trading the Greek Freak.
It remains unclear whether Antetokounmpo will request a trade. The Bucks are reportedly interested in maintaining their franchise cornerstone. If the time comes to move on from the two-time MVP, then there’s no better time than now when his market value is at its highest.
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