The pros and cons of the Milwaukee Bucks trading for Kevin Durant

The pros of the Milwaukee Bucks trading for Kevin Durant

There is a reason why 90 percent of the league is putting together hypothetical trade packages to try and acquire Kevin Durant. Even at 33 years old, Durant is still one of the best players to hit the hardwood, and he would skyrocket any team’s title odds significantly on impact. With all of that in mind, it is not hard to see why the Milwaukee Bucks would at least inquire about his availability.

It is not controversial to say that bringing Durant to Milwaukee would immediately form one of the best duos in NBA history alongside Giannis Antetokounmpo, given that the Bucks would obviously not trade him in any deal. Antetokounmpo and Durant are arguably the two best players currently in the league, and uniting them would unquestionably put the rest of the NBA on notice. The duo would mesh seamlessly, with Durant’s ability to score from anywhere on the floor complementing Antetokounmpo’s interior dominance and outstanding defense.

Financial security would also be a significant factor in a Durant trade. The power forward currently has four years remaining on his contract, meaning whichever team trades for him will have him on the payroll for the foreseeable future. From Milwaukee’s perspective, it would be desirable to have arguably the two best players locked up over the next several years, with Durant’s deal coming to an end in 2025-26 and Antetokounmpo having a player option for the same season. With Durant being 33 years old and Antetokounmpo being 27, these two have plenty of good basketball left to be played, and seeing them do it side by side would certainly be must-see television.

Durant’s situation is incredibly rare, as players have scarcely requested a trade with multiple years left on their deal. In the past, players like Kawhi Leonard and Anthony Davis have requested trades with one-year left on their contracts, which scared off some opposing teams who feared they may depart the following offseason. Teams like the Bucks would not have that fear with Durant, given the four years left on his deal. While that does not mean Durant cannot simply request trade if he grows dissatisfied again like he did in Brooklyn, it does not seem too likely that would happen, especially if he greenlights the destination.

In short, the Bucks could form an all-time duo by pairing Durant with Antetokounmpo that would compete for a title over the next several years.