According to NBA journalist and insider Marc Stein, there is already anticipation growing about the Milwaukee Bucks trying to include the New Orleans Pelicans or the Portland Trail Blazers in a potential trade involving Giannis Antetokounmpo. If the Bucks were to go this route, it would indicate a massive departure from their previous way of doing things, given that they would actually be seeking to recoup draft assets.
It's been well-documented that Giannis' potential departure from the Bucks is something the organization realizes could be imminent. No official trade request has been made, but everyone knew things would be happening at some level when Shams Charania reported a few days ago that Giannis is open to exploring other teams outside the Bucks for the first time in his career.
Now, it feels like we're all waiting for that seemingly inevitable announcement that Antetokounmpo would officially like out of Milwaukee to be made. It would certainly be a massive disappointment to see Giannis not be a Bucks lifer. But if and when we get to that day where he desires to leave, it appears Milwaukee has a solid plan in place.
The Bucks want to regain lost assets if Giannis does leave
Stein writes: Anticipation is already building about the Bucks trying to include either New Orleans or Portland in a theoretical Giannis trade to try to regain some of their draft capital.
Obviously, this is the direction Bucks fans should want to see their organization go if a trade has to happen. In the past, the franchise has parted ways with draft picks at will to try to overcorrect its misfires, and this would indicate a sharp reversal of that trend.
Bucks fans should take solace in the fact that Milwaukee is aware of the fact that it will need to start over after Giannis rather than trying to overcompensate with an inadequate roster in place. It's the only real way forward.
Anything else would be a last-ditch attempt to keep this roster alive post-Giannis, and that's simply a good way of staying irrelevant. Obviously the hope would be that Antetokounmpo opts to remain in Milwaukee after testing the waters a bit, but this would be the second-best scenario.