The last thing any Milwaukee Bucks fan wants is to see Giannis Antetokounmpo traded this summer.
After another first-round exit, however, the clock is ticking. Giannis may genuinely want to stay, but how many more years of his career is he willing to devote to playoff disappointment? Before pulling the plug on the Giannis era, the front office owes it to him - and to the fanbase - to do everything they can to field a contender in Milwaukee. Action, as the saying goes, speaks louder than words.
1. A homerun swing in the trade market
The most salient thing the Bucks can do is to go out and grab a star, or at least a valuable contributor. Adding a marquee player risks future financial burden and sacrificing the team's scant supply of young talent plus draft picks, but it is the most surefire way to show Giannis that Milwaukee is serious about contending.
One trade, which the Bucks may not have the assets to pull off by themselves, would be to snag Pelicans guard Dejounte Murray. In a tank year for New Orleans, the offseason acquisition provided 17.5 points, 6.5 rebounds, 7.4 assists and two steals per game.
One of many Pelicans plagued by injury, he appeared in just 31 games and was uncharacteristically inefficient (39.3 field goal percentage, 29.9 percent on threes). His scoring dropped by five points and his shooting numbers fell by over six percent from where they were in 2023-24. In a healthy season, he should be able to reproduce what he did from 2022-24 with the Hawks and Spurs.
A big move would not have to bring in a point guard, but it's true that Murray would also fill the void left by Damian Lillard as the latter heals from Achilles surgery. Under contract for three years, he would also be around for a full season with Lillard in 2026-27. Both players have experience working with another ball-dominant guard (Lillard with CJ McCollum in Portland, Murray with Trae Young in Atlanta), which could grease the wheels for a potential collab.
It would not be a bad thing to let Lillard, who turns 35 in July, play a few more possessions off the ball. Getting a spot-up opportunity here and there could ease the start-stop lower-body stress involved in constantly handling the rock and initiating physical drives to the paint.
As a substantial bonus, the Bucks would also unload Kuzma, whose tenure in Milwaukee has been decidedly disappointing. In the first round against Indiana, he averaged 5.8 points, shot 34 percent from the field and was ultimately benched.
Since they have limited picks to trade, the Bucks would likely need to throw in young talent, players like Tyler Smith or even AJ Green. They might not need to sell the house, though. The Pelicans made no secret this trade deadline of their wish to ship off their stars. Unable to move anyone but Brandon Ingram, who went to Toronto, they should be listening to any and all offers in the offseason.
2. Acquiring a lower-cost but productive point guard
If the Bucks don't swing for the fences, they will still need to address the hole at point guard. One way to do that is through free agency, with options such as Malcolm Brogdon or Tyus Jones in the market. Suppose, though, that they can't land anyone there, or want to acquire a decent player but use their available finances elsewhere.
In that case, a more modest trade could be the answer. The Utah Jazz remain mired in a seemingly endless rebuild. Like the Pelicans, they are perennially rumored to be deadline sellers. Might they be interested this summer in shipping Jordan Clarkson, who has one year and $14 million left on his contract, to Milwaukee?
Like Murray, Clarkson dealt with injuries this season, on a tanking team, which limited him to 37 games. Healthy, he averaged 16.2 points and 3.7 assists. The 11-year veteran is not nearly the player Murray is, and is more of a sixth man than a traditional point guard, but he could hold down the fort while Lillard recovers and provide badly needed backcourt scoring. While not flashy, making a move to salvage the point guard spot next season is one way to tell Giannis that this team wants to win.
Acquiring Clarkson would also avoid unduly compromising the Bucks' future; since he is effectively a single-season rental, they might get him for a package like Pat Connaughton, Andre Jackson Jr. and some form of draft capital. Moving Connaughton's salary, assuming he exercises his player option, would be an added benefit.
3. Re-signing their most important free agent
Gary Trent Jr. ranks first among Bucks free agents who need to be re-signed. Aside from supplying excellent production in a bench role this season, in the postseason, he flashed his upside at higher volume, going for over 30 points twice in five games. His 37 points in Game 3 powered the Bucks to their only win of the series.
Scoring over 15 points per game every year from 2021-23, Trent is someone who can compensate for Lillard's absence if called upon. A tough, underrated defender, he has averaged over a steal per game in his career. Boosted by a five-steal performance in Game 5 against Indiana, he averaged 2.6 for the series. Although his costly turnover is what will be remembered from that heartbreaking loss, he did more than his share to save his team from elimination.
Certainly, Trent is owed a raise from his $2.6 million salary. The Milwaukee Bucks could bring him back using part of their $14.1 non taxpayer mid level exception. In doing so, they would secure Giannis a starting two guard in 2025-26.
4. Extending a pair of fan favorites
Similarly, the front office can demonstrate its commitment to a competitive roster, both now and in the long term, by locking up a pair of fan favorites. In addition, it would provide the stability of keeping some familiar teammates around Giannis as the team goes through major changes overall.
Specifically, the Bucks should look to extend AJ Green and, if the price tag is not too high, Bobby Portis as well.
Green took a significant step in his third season as a pro, establishing personal bests in points (7.4 per game) and 3-point percentage (42.7) while playing the most games of his career. He appears poised for further growth. Extending Green, whose contract expires in 2026, would provide Giannis with a sharpshooting recipient on drive-and-kick dishes for years to come.
First things first, Portis must decide whether to exercise his $13.4 million player option. In the meantime, with Brook Lopez and Jericho Sims both entering free agency, the Bucks remain without a viable center, context that makes securing Portis all the more important if they can do so without overpaying. If he elects free agency, Milwaukee should at least make an effort to re-sign the floor-spacing scorer. If he opts in, they should try to extend him.
5. Adding an athletic big
There are a few options here to replace the likely departing Brook Lopez, decried by fans for his declining agility and quickness. Perhaps the most exciting fit, the Bucks could pursue Charlotte's Mark Williams, who is injury-prone but productive when healthy. Or, in less of a gamble, they could call about the Suns' Nick Richards, the former Hornet.
If Milwaukee could acquire Richards, who has just one year left under contract, for a reasonable combination of draft picks and fringe talent (their two second-rounders plus Jackson?), using him to fill a key roster need would be worth considering.
6. Retaining and developing a certain young defender
Ryan Rollins was mostly a non-factor in the first round of the playoffs, playing only 30 total minutes. In his first fair shot at NBA playing time this season, though, he showed exciting promise.
From January to season's end, his scoring average increased each month. In seven April games, he averaged 10.8 points and four assists while shooting 52 percent from distance. On the season, he hit 41 percent of his shots beyond the arc. With his shooting and defensive ability, he is an ideal role player to install alongside Giannis Antetokounmpo.
With an overall game poised for growth, he is a young free agent the Milwaukee Bucks should absolutely prioritize re-signing.
Developing Rollins goes hand-in-hand with another thing the team must do to craft a future worth Antetokounmpo's time. Young players like Tyler Smith and Chris Livingston could contribute next season if given adequate attention and opportunities.
The same goes for the Bucks' draft pick, the 47th selection in 2025. By drafting an NBA-ready player like Wisconsin's John Tonje, a sixth-year senior who finished fourth in Big Ten scoring at 19.6 points per game, Milwaukee could embrace a win-now approach while cultivating young contributors.
Extending the Giannis era will require walking a fine line between present and future contention, but there are still ways to keep either side - both Antetokounmpo and team executives - from feeling that a split is necessary.