The Milwaukee Bucks may trade Giannis Antetokounmpo this summer, but after months (maybe years) of rumors, it’s time for them to give him the same treatment the Portland Trail Blazers gave Damian Lillard when he was traded. Portland didn’t abide by Lillard’s wishes, and though the Bucks want to do right by Antetokounmpo, at this point, they should just trade him for the best possible package.
If Milwaukee wants to set itself up well for the future, it needs to nail the Antetokounmpo trade – whatever that may be. And at this point, after months of back and forth and public complaints, the Bucks need to do what’s best for them. They should trade Antetokounmpo to the highest bidder, just like the Blazers did with Lillard.
That’s the business.
Bucks should trade Giannis to highest bidder, not based on his wishes (like Blazers did with Lillard)
When Lillard’s time with the Blazers was coming to an end, there were a ton of rumors swirling around about where he would want to land, and the Bucks weren’t on his radar.
The main team Lillard wanted to go to was the Miami Heat. He was laster-focused on Miami, if the Blazers were to trade him, but Portland decided to move him anyway, regardless of his desires.
Miami didn’t have a good enough trade package, at least, not in the Blazers’ eyes, and they wanted to prioritize themselves. So, they traded Lillard to the Bucks even though he didn’t necessarily want to go there.
Since the Antetokounmpo trade rumors have started, they’ve been a mess. The Bucks sending signals, Antetokounmpo sending his own, and no deals actually getting done.
Now, it seems like Milwaukee is intent on actually looking for a trade this summer. And Antetokounmpo will inevitably try to tell the Bucks where he wants to end up (there are already rumblings that he wants to stay in the East and land with a contender).
But at this point, the Bucks have to think about themselves. Obviously, they want to do right by their franchise legend, and maybe they’ll have the chance to do that if the right trade offer comes along.
However, if East contenders come calling with weak offers, and the Bucks think they can get more value elsewhere, then they should seriously consider those offers.
Milwaukee needs to think about its future more than Antetokounmpo’s, unfortunately. And that could mean going against his wishes, much like the Blazers did with their franchise legend.
That’s how the NBA goes. It’s a brutal business.
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