The most connected NBA insider just said what Milwaukee's been dreading: Giannis Antetokounmpo is getting traded this summer regardless of what happens between now and then.
Jake Fischer, speaking on Bleacher Report, made the same prediction insiders have been saying.
"I do think that Giannis will get traded in the summer. I don't think that Milwaukee getting a top pick is going to help them ultimately factor so differently in the Eastern Conference playoff picture at large. But for now, he is going to remain a Buck," he said.
"The big question too is like Giannis is going to want to play. He's going to come back from this calf strain and he's going to want to play and try to help the Bucks make the Play-In Tournament. That kind of runs in contrast to what the Bucks want to do in order to get better draft capital to help add to him. So that's an interesting conflict of dynamics at play that we'll see how that all ultimately unfolds."
This tracks with what fans have come to know about Giannis: he simply isn't wired to give up on seasons. He's going to come back from this calf injury ready to drag the Bucks into the Play-In if possible. But every win they get hurts their draft position and makes the eventual rebuild harder.
Insiders say Giannis may be out no matter where Bucks' draft pick lands
But what matters more is what comes next. In the summer, the teams the Bucks passed up on will simply have more to offer in possible Giannis trades. And this time around, any general manager worth his salt would be smart to put in his due diligence at the very least.
"For now, I'm still of the belief that even though this is a will they, won't they for so long, that the Bucks are going to trade Giannis this summer because no matter what, I do think that there will be better packages on the table from Miami or from New York."
For the time being, there are countless questions swirling that make the situation nothing short of organizational torture. Do you shut down your franchise player to preserve draft capital, risking him demanding an immediate trade? Or do you let him play, watch him carry you to marginal playoff positioning, and end up with worse assets when you inevitably trade him anyway?
Fischer's already made up his mind about how this ends: Giannis gets traded in the summer regardless. The lottery position doesn't matter. The Play-In push doesn't matter. It's all just delaying the inevitable because better trade packages will be available once summer arrives.
It's worth mentioning that, thus far, Fischer has been one of the more tempered voices in this whole Giannis saga. Where other media personalities have sensationalized the idea of Giannis wanting out, Fischer has brought sober takes from reliable sources. So for him to say this with confidence should at the very least count for something.
For Bucks fans, Fischer's prediction is the final nail in the coffin. The lottery position doesn't save Giannis' tenure in Milwaukee. The Play-In Tournament doesn't change his future. It's over, and summer is just when it becomes official.
Giannis will remain a Buck through the end of this season because trading him mid-year doesn't maximize value. But come July, he'll be wearing a different uniform, and Milwaukee will be starting the rebuild they've been avoiding for years.