Giannis or Jokic: Which NBA MVP big should teams be targeting in a trade?

With their respective teams struggling, we explore if Giannis Antetokounmpo or Nikola Jokic is the better trade asset.

Both the Milwaukee Bucks and Denver Nuggets have emerged as two of the most disappointing teams in the NBA. Heading into the start of this season, the hope was that both the Bucks and Nuggets could reemerge as a championship contender this season. However, through the first couple of weeks of the regular season, neither the Bucks nor Nuggets look the part. I wouldn't say conclusively that the Bucks and Nuggets are at a crossroads of their build, but the future of their blueprint has to at least be in question.

If that is indeed the case, it could put both Giannis Antetokounmpo and Nikola Jokic in an odd place. Both superstars are about to turn 30 years old and I can't imagine either would be looking forward to a complete rebuild of their respective rosters. That's to say, if the Bucks or Nuggets can't solve their team's issues quickly, a trade of either, or both, superstars can't entirely be counted out.

In fact, there is already growing speculation that Giannis could end up forcing his way out of Milwaukee. Long-time NBA insider Marc Stein recently took time on a column and noted while both Giannis and Jokic could have some big decisions to make regarding their futures that it's the former that is most likely to be traded. That said, you can't help but wonder if both did hit the trade block, which is the star that most other teams would be more willing to pursue?

Is Giannis Antetokounmpo or Nikola Jokic the better trade asset?

Both Giannis and Jokic are two of the top 3-5 players in the league, depending on who you ask. But it's safe to say that both are probably the best players at their position and are very much at the peak of their powers. To answer this question, I'd probably lean toward who I think building around would be simpler. And, if I was building out a team in the NBA, I'd probably have an easier time crafting a supporting cast around Giannis than Jokic.

Giannis is the more versatile and better defender, he can handle the ball if needed and is an underrated playmaker in his own right. He's also has the capability to be the most dominant offensive player in the game. While Jokic is a great playmaker and overall offensive player and can handle the ball some, he needs a ball-dominant guard for his true value to be seen. It's his dynamic pick-and-rolls with Jamal Murray that put him over the top as an offensive talent.

I also can't overlook the fact that, as a defender, Jokic's game probably isn't going to age gracefully on that end of the floor. And while Giannis does have his limitations in his game, he's a bit more polished as a two-way superstar at this point. Both Giannis and Jokic have won championships as centerpieces of a team build but I do believe the former still has some untapped potential in his game. I'm not sure if I can say the same about Jokic.

For example, I believe that an elite level like Erik Spoelstra would be able to get much more out of Giannis than he would out of Jokic. Who knows if it would ever happen, but that's an intriguing pipe dream that the rest of the league may not ever want to see play out.