After winning a championship in 2021, the Bucks have failed to make a postseason run past the second round of the playoffs. Giannis Antetokounmpo has averaged over 30 points per game throughout that span, yet the Bucks have not been able to put a competitive roster around him.
With the Bucks unlikely to make a push this season with Damian Lillard’s availability in question, should they look to move Giannis?
In the 2020 Bubble season, Milwaukee was a hot favorite to make a championship run. They were led by an MVP in Giannis and one of the best defenses in the NBA. However, the Miami Heat upset them in the second round.
That off-season, Milwaukee made a big splash when they traded Eric Bledsoe, George Hill, and multiple assets for Jrue Holiday. Holiday provided Giannis with a reliable ball handler who could create his shot and score a consistent 20 points while also providing premier perimeter defense.
Holiday fit with Giannis and the Bucks flawlessly, and in Jrue Holiday’s first year with the Bucks, they won a championship. Holiday’s key defense throughout that championship run, especially his defense on Chris Paul in the finals, was a major factor in Milwaukee’s comeback from a 2-0 deficit.
After that year, the Bucks were hampered by an aging roster and injuries. Khris Middleton, arguably their most reliable clutch-time shot maker, had knee issues and would miss the entire 2021 playoffs.
Since then, he hasn’t been on the court consistently, and even when he has, he’s been undependable. He later got traded. Middleton’s issues put an extra offensive burden on him, which he ultimately isn’t best suited to carry.
After another disappointing exit in the 2023 season, Milwaukee traded Jrue Holiday and picks for Damian Lillard. The hope of this was to pair Giannis with a premiere offensive player who’s averaged over 30 points a game himself. Milwaukee was willing to part with the defense for an upgrade in scoring. However, Dame saw a regression once he joined the Bucks.
Damian Lillard saw an eight-point decrease in scoring and was shooting 35% from three. He was also a weak point on defense. Other than Dame, the Bucks’ roster is an aging, expensive roster that is not athletic enough to compete at a high level in the East. Rumors of Giannis requesting a trade have been circling.
Ultimately, Milwaukee should do everything it can to re-tool its roster around Giannis rather than making a trade for him. Giannis is a generational good player who the Bucks will not be able to replace. A reasonable course of action is to let some older veterans go, like Brook Lopez, and give more playing time to younger prospects on better contracts like Kevin Porter Jr. and Andre Jackson Jr.
If Giannis ultimately requests a trade, Milwaukee needs to make sure it gets a historic haul back in return for him. A player like Giannis, who’s still playing at a high level, should command at least three first-round picks and a promising player who’s shown flashes. This would also clear the way for the Bucks to start trading players like Dame and Lopez. Ultimately, this would be the worst scenario possible for the Bucks.
Being above the apron limits Milwaukee’s moves to improve their roster, so a big trade to change up their team is unlikely. The best course of action is to draft more athletic wing defenders and hope the younger talent on the roster develops, while you hope Giannis and Dame can gel better and carry the load offensively.
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