The Milwaukee Bucks have made a firm commitment to giving Giannis Antetokounmpo one last shot at a deep postseason run in a depleted Eastern Conference. To prove how ready they are to compete, Milwaukee brought in 3-and-D big Myles Turner in a move that didn't seem possible until it materialized.
Unfortunately, the harsh reality facing the Bucks is that they've already depleted their resources as far as building a contender around Antetokounmpo is concerned.
Milwaukee still has future first-round draft picks at its disposal, which could be utilized to make significant roster upgrades. Unfortunately, said transactions would require the Bucks to include players whose salaries can get the deal over the finish line.
With virtually non-existent depth and the financial burden of Damian Lillard's buyout, a lack of flexibility is certain to define the team's immediate future.
There are always workarounds that teams can utilize to their advantage, even when it seems as though they're at a dead end. Even in those situations, however, Milwaukee will be at the mercy of improbability as they attempt to make one last swing at a championship.
No one should fault a franchise for successfully convincing a superstar to return for another season, but the Bucks are already running out of options after the Lillard and Turner maneuvers.
Bucks are already running out of options to help Giannis Antetokounmpo
Milwaukee's lifelines at this stage of the process include the room exception and ambitious dreams of a trade. The latter process would require a rival executive to place a value on one of the Bucks' players that would be greater than anticipated.
That admittedly transpires more often than one might think, but the Bucks only have two players who can realistically be flipped for meaningful talent in a one-for-one trade: Kyle Kuzma and Bobby Portis Jr.
Kuzma has Milwaukee's biggest contract after Antetokounmpo and Turner themselves. It's certainly possible that the Bucks could flip the former NBA champion for one or even two rotation-level players, as he's displayed the ability to put up points in a hurry in the past.
A career 33.4 percent three-point shooter who averaged just 5.8 points per game during the 2025 NBA Playoffs, however, Kuzma and the two seasons and near $43 million remaining on his contract will likely be tough to move.
The other option is to trade Portis, who remains among the Bucks' most valuable players. He's a cost-efficient talent, with three years and just over $43.5 million coming his way. As such, he represents the Bucks' best chance of making a splash.
If a team were to express interest in a package centered around Kuzma, Portis, and multiple first-round draft picks, perhaps Milwaukee could build a new big three.
The hurdle is the simple fact that the Bucks wouldn't have much else to work with beyond a potential star trio. That would put them right back in the position that limited their potential and has thus resulted in an endless stream of first-round exits.
Perhaps the front office has an ace up their sleeve that hasn't yet been revealed, but at this stage, it appears as though adding Turner was effectively a last hurrah.