Whenever, or if ever, he does get traded, the package any team in the NBA would have to send the Milwaukee Bucks for a Giannis Antetokounmpo trade would be massive.
As a two-time regular-season MVP, Finals MVP, nine-time All-Star and All-NBA player, holding many other awards and records, the Bucks would likely want back multiple young players, along with a bunch of draft picks.
However, according to ESPN’s Brian Windhorst, teams might not want to give up four first-round picks for Antetokounmpo in a mid-season deal, regardless of how he could elevate a franchise.
“What I’m telling you is that when I talk to executives and these executives are not in trade talks with the Bucks or another for a star player right now, the mood in the NBA right now is not give up four first-round picks for anybody,” the insider said on The Hoop Collective podcast.
Teams like the New York Knicks, Los Angeles Lakers, Golden State Warriors, Houston Rockets, San Antonio Spurs, and Toronto Raptors have all been reported as trade partners for the Bucks in an Antetokounmpo deal, but many more are expected to be in the hunt.
Teams Weary Of Blockbuster Giannis Trade
Per Adam Wells of Bleacher Report, the reasoning for teams not wanting to mortgage their immediate future for a player like Antetokounmpo comes down to the recent past of the Boston Celtics. The 2024 NBA champions were basically forced to trade away or let go of many of their stars from the past few years to stay under the second apron of the salary cap.
Boston saved more than $300 million by moving out Jrue Holiday, Kristaps Porzingis, and making a few other roster changes. With that becoming a possibility in the years after an Antetokounmpo trade, for a team presumably without any first-round picks, is the reason why franchises are hesitant to make the blockbuster trade.
“This is how teams are thinking right now. They’re a little freaked about the [salary cap] aprons,” Windhorst added. “There ain’t going to be no five first round pick trades. I know that we saw those for a while. That’s just not to happen.”
Boatloads of picks have been sent out for players not even close to the same level as Antetokounmpo, but still, an ‘all-in’ move like that could be too risky, even for the teams that have a sense for taking big gambles.
Regardless, though teams might not want to pay a price as high as four first-rounders, it’s hard to see Antetokounmpo commanding anything less.
Bucks Not Expected To Follow ‘Luka Trade’ Approach
While the realistic return package Milwaukee would want is still unknown, it is fair to say they have a lot of options on the table. By again looking at recent NBA history, the Bucks are also reportedly not going to follow the approach the Dallas Mavericks took when making the Luka Doncic trade for Anthony Davis.
“The Bucks have not yet spelled [out their dream package] precisely to potential bidders, but as one rival front office executive quipped: ‘They have to do the exact opposite of Dallas’ approach to trading Luka Dončić,’” Jake Fischer reported.
“Translation: Hold a leaguewide auction and pick the package you deem the best…Some teams out there think the post-Giannis Bucks would want to initiate a full-scale teardown that includes trading away veterans like the title-winning Bobby Portis, February acquisition Kyle Kuzma and offseason addition Myles Turner. Even then, though, there would be loud questions.”
The idea of the Bucks going into a full-scale rebuild now appears unlikely, even though young players and draft assets would be the best package for their star. Currently, Milwaukee doesn’t own any of its first-rounders until 2031, and though they could get some back, there’s no point in sitting at the bottom of the standings if they won’t have the chance at a top prospect in the draft.
The Knicks sending over Karl-Anthony Towns as a franchise star replacement might be the Bucks’ best option, as it at least gives them a chance to stay competitive and figure out a plan for the future.
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