NBA Trade Rumors: Predicting four monster deals that would send Giannis Antetokounmpo to his preferred destinations while helping the Milwaukee Bucks rebuild.
As the Milwaukee Bucks continue to struggle to start the season, the noise surrounding the end of an era continues to grow louder and louder. It was reported a few days ago that there was growing speculation that Giannis Antetokounmpo could get to a point where he's forcing his way out of Milwaukee sooner rather than later. While I'm still bullish on the idea of Giannis demanding a trade, it would be hard to blame them with how the Bucks have struggled this season. At this point, it's hard not to speculate on the idea of a potential Giannis trade and what it would look like.
It was reported that the Miami Heat and Brooklyn Nets would naturally emerge as potential preferred destinations for Giannis if he were to be shopped. In addition, the Golden State Warriors and New York Knicks have been considered likely suitors as well (by Marc Stein). In this article, we'll explore four monster deals that would not only make sense for Giannis but also for the Bucks as they stare down a likely rebuild.
4 Monster hypothetical Giannis Antetokounmpo trades
Giannis to the Brooklyn Nets
If the Milwaukee Bucks are going to trade Giannis Antetokounmpo, they're likely going to want to do well by him and send him to a spot of his choosing. If the Brooklyn Nets are amongst those teams, there is an intriguing deal that could happen between the two sides that would make a ton of sense. In this hypothetical deal, the Nets would use Ben Simmons' expiring contract and tag Cam Thomas, a talented rising young offensive player. The verdict is still out on Thomas, but when he's been given the opportunity, he's been able to produce consistently.
In an attempt to put the icing on this deal, the Nets could include three future first-round picks, one of which originally belonged to the Milwaukee Bucks at one point. Getting back their 2025 first-round pick while also getting Brooklyn's 2026 and 2029 first-rounders, this is a package that could help the Bucks in their efforts to rebuild their roster.
The Nets would begin to build around Giannis with plenty of cap space heading into the 2025 NBA offseason. However, the question is, would Giannis want to embrace essentially a rebuilding of the roster in Brooklyn? If Giannis does have any interest in playing for the Nets, there is a deal to be made that makes sense for both the Nets and Bucks.