Bleacher Report's latest outlandish mock trade for the Milwaukee Bucks would see them add Orlando Magic forward Franz Wagner in a huge deal, aiming to keep Giannis Antetokounmpo in town as they find their next Khris Middleton.
The deal would see Milwaukee send Kyle Kuzma, Bobby Portis, and the extremely valuable 2026 first-round pick to the Magic for their young German forward.
Bucks part ways with valuable pick for Franz Wagner
The standout here is that 2026 pick that the Bucks would part ways with. Giannis' future plays into whether the Bucks would move that pick to pull off a big deal, or use it to bring in a promising young player they can build with moving forward, regardless of where the two-time MVP is playing basketball.
Bringing in Wagner would give the Bucks some much-needed punch on the wing. Kuzma has been hot and cold this season, Taurean Prince has only just returned from injury, and outside of those two, the Bucks have been relying on guards playing small at the three spot.
Bobby Portis has had a slight down year on the glass, but his 3-point shooting percentage is way up with the Bucks relying so heavily on shots from the perimeter. However, he is one of the more tradable assets, given the money on his deal and the value he can still offer a team.
For the Bucks, the backcourt looks set with Ryan Rollins and Kevin Porter Jr. as a nice pairing that provides both offense and defense. The frontcourt has plenty of depth, leaving just the wing spots that the Bucks have been crying out for improvement for several years. Wagner would address that in the Eastern Conference, which is loaded with talented wings that Milwaukee has struggled to stop.
This season, Wagner is averaging 21.3 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 3.6 assists on shooting splits of .479/.365/.828. At 24 years old, there is still so much room for the German to grow, and Orlando has stuttered this season, meaning a change of scenery could see him reach another level.
What do the Magic get?
From Orlando's point of view, they haven't kicked on as many expected, leaving them in a position to potentially bow out early in the playoffs, which would cause a multitude of problems.
The Magic are projected to fly past the first apron with Paolo Banchero's new max deal, Desmond Bane's addition, and so many other expensive contracts on the books. Wagner has been very quietly floated as a player that could be moved, but in the summer, that may become a reality.
All season long, the talk has been around the future of Giannis, and this would be a serious move to convince him to stay around. He is available for an extension in October, and until he signs to stay in Wisconsin, those rumors won't ever go away. Bringing in a fellow star from EuroBasket could aid that decision, and he fits the archetype of what Middleton was with the team, while still having a long career ahead of him.
The thoughts on this deal would come down to how people value Wagner and whether this is the best he will be, or if there is another level or two to get to. At 24-years-old, the Magic may ask for more, but if this offer could get it over the line, the Bucks might be picking up the phone to get the trade done.