Milwaukee Bucks: 3 reasons to pursue a Chris Paul trade
By Dalton Sell
Milwaukee Bucks: 3 reasons to pursue a Chris Paul trade – Next season could be championship or bust
The Milwaukee Bucks have Giannis Antetokounmpo under contract for one more season before he becomes a free agent. Milwaukee can offer the back-to-back MVP a supermax extension worth north of $200 million this offseason, but after consecutive early playoff exits, he might be hesitant to sign.
If Milwaukee enters next season with Giannis having not put pen to paper, that could be their last run with him on the roster if they fail to meet expectations yet again. The team is undoubtedly aware of this terrifying reality, as they recently assured Antetokounmpo that they were willing to spend into the luxury tax to give him a championship-caliber supporting cast.
Chris Paul having upwards of $85 million on his current deal certainly is not the most desirable deal for a 35-year-old point guard, but it might be worth the gamble for the Bucks. They are a team with their generational talent hanging in the balance, and they know that going all-in to bring him some support is the only way to keep him satisfied.
There are some rumblings that if Paul gets moved, he wants to join a contending team such as the Milwaukee Bucks. Via Marc Berman of The New York Post:
"“Some NBA sources believe Paul would feel blessed to be on a winning club such as the Bucks. But perhaps Paul, too, would desire to play in the world’s biggest media market and reunite with Leon Rose, his former agent. “He’s 35 — he wants to win,’’ one NBA executive said.”"
The opportunity appears there for the taking, but it is up to the front office to capitalize on it. Adding one of the greatest point guards ever to put on an NBA jersey would unquestionably help the Milwaukee Bucks in their pursuit of a title as they approach a potential do-or-die scenario. It would also be a costly decision financially, but with the franchise’s greatest player in five decades undecided on his long-term future, it might be worth it.