The Milwaukee Bucks may soon be grappling with trade negotiations for star Giannis Antetokounmpo. ESPN’s Shams Charania recently reported that Giannis and the Bucks have considered a trade if the team is not able to contend for a title this season, and the only other team that piques Giannis’ interest is the New York Knicks. However, keeping their options limited would severely hamper the Bucks and lead to the same mistake that the Mavericks made with Luka Doncic.
The Bucks need to assess the entire trade market
When dealing with a true generational talent like Giannis, it’s important to keep your options open. When the Dallas Mavericks traded Luka Doncic, the Los Angeles Lakers were reportedly the only team they had significant discussions with. The Bucks cannot do that.
Even if Giannis reportedly says he only wants to play for the Knicks, he is great enough (and competitive enough, mind you) to give a great performance for any team that he goes to. Even if it’s not his preferred destination, there are plenty of teams that he can elevate to championship contenders or even favorites.
As for the Knicks, their trade package for Giannis won’t be the greatest for eventually building a title contender. They have very few valuable picks to offer - just one first-round, three pick swaps, and eight second-rounders - after gargantuan trades to build their current roster. The trade would likely be centered around Karl-Anthony Towns and some lesser assets, which doesn’t help the Bucks compete for a championship now or in the future.
Instead, shopping Giannis around the NBA can open up opportunities to get a return that can possibly lead to a championship team someday. Ideally, the Bucks would take back multiple first-round picks (preferably some from a third team) and possibly some promising young players. The Knicks are very much in a win-now mode and don’t have either of these asset types to offer.
The best trade partner for the Bucks will be a young team on the rise - one that’s ready to mortgage some of their future potential for one of the league’s best current stars. Names like the San Antonio Spurs and Detroit Pistons, teams that are ready to contend for the playoffs already but still have young developing players, immediately come to mind.
But the worst possible thing will be for the Bucks to blindly follow Giannis’ current preference and only talk to the Knicks. When the Mavericks made the same mistake, they ended up with an aging star and a couple extra assets in exchange for one of the league’s perennial MVP candidates who’s just 25 years old and hasn’t even hit his prime.
Giannis may no longer have the same future potential as Luka Doncic, but he is just as good now and can be a top five player for years to come. The NBA free market will ultimately be the Bucks’ best shot at getting a fair deal for his services if he wants out.