With the rumors swirling around Giannis Antetokounmpo‘s future in Milwaukee following the Bucks‘ third straight first-round exit and Damian Lillard‘s Achilles injury, the San Antonio Spurs can make a new Big 3 with a potential blockbuster trade this summer.
David Aldridge of The Athletic proposed a blockbuster three-team trade that would make the Spurs an instant title favorite by adding Antetokounmpo to the dynamic pair of Victor Wembanyama and De’Aaron Fox.
Here is Aldridge’s trade proposal:
Milwaukee Bucks receive: Zion Williamson, Keldon Johnson, 2025 first-round pick (Spurs, via Hawks), 2027 first-round pick swap rights (Pelicans), 2029 first-round pick (Spurs)
New Orleans Pelicans receive: Devin Vassell, Jeremy Sochan, Pat Connaughton, 2027 first-round pick (Spurs, via Hawks)
San Antonio Spurs receive: Giannis Antetokounmpo
If this hypothetical trade becomes a reality, the Spurs would have a death lineup that can defend, rebound, shoot and run in the transition.
“The Spurs’ starting lineup next October would be De’Aaron Fox, Stephon Castle, Harrison Barnes, Antetokounmpo and Victor Wembanyama. I’m guessing Chris Paul would re-up for one or two more seasons as Fox’s backup. They would have other players on their roster, too,” Aldridge wrote.
This is not the big market team which Antetokounmpo might gravitate to also expand his burgeoning business portfolio, but the chance to become a multiple champion with Wembanyama could be too good for him to pass up, if given the chance.
Mock Trade Package ‘Not Enough’ for Bucks, Says Reporter
However, in the same The Athletic story where Aldridge made this pitch, Bucks beat reporter Eric Nehm shut down the trade proposal.
“This is nowhere near enough for Antetokounmpo,” Nehm wrote, citing Williamson’s long injury history as a deal-breaker for the Bucks.
Williamson has only played 30 games this season and was only available for 45.3% of the regular season games during his first six years in the league.
Another deal breaker is the lack of first-round picks in Aldridge’s mock trade proposal, according to Nehm.
“Any package for Antetokounmpo will need to be rich in both players and picks, and this offer is not rich enough in either. Also, if the Bucks are going to be a part of any trade with the Pelicans, they need to get the full rights back to their 2026 and 2027 first-rounders,” Nehm wrote.
‘It’s Possible’ Giannis Antetokounmpo Played His Last Game as a Buck
In the morning after the Bucks lost Lillard in Game 4, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst painted a murky future in Milwaukee.
“It’s possible that Giannis has played his last game in Milwaukee as a Buck,” Windhorst said on the April 28 episode of the “Hoop Collective” podcast. “I don’t know, but it’s also irresponsible not to contemplate that right now.”
The Bucks went on to lose Game 5 in Indiana, where they stunningly squandered a seven-point lead in the final 40 seconds of the game.
Windhorst isn’t alone in speculating that Antetokounmpo could ask out of Milwaukee this summer.
Appearing on “The Dan Patrick Show” on April 23, NBA insider Chris Haynes also made the same assumption.
Asked if Antetokounmpo will finish his career in Milwaukee, Haynes gave a blunt answer.
“I don’t think so,” Haynes said. “This 2025 Playoffs for the Milwaukee Bucks, it’s gonna be pivotal. If they don’t get to the Finals, win the Finals, or even make a deep run, you can probably see some wholesale changes going on in Milwaukee.
“You can go from coaching staff and front office to the players, it can be a pretty big, significant wholesale if the Milwaukee Bucks don’t make a significant run this postseason.”
Haynes added that the Antetokounmpo era in Milwaukee might end as early as this summer.
“I could see them going in a different direction, and yeah, I can see that possibility if things go sour this postseason for sure,” Haynes said.
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