If Giannis Antetokounmpo ever hits the trade market, there will be no shortage of suitors. But one team—quiet, calculated and better positioned than anyone else—can offer the Milwaukee Bucks something nobody else can. The San Antonio Spurs have the No. 2 pick in this year’s draft. That alone changes the math for everyone, but they also have the 14th pick, adding more intrigue. They are the only team with two lottery picks.
Per most boards, that second pick is expected to become Dylan Harper, a 6-foot-5 combo guard with real star upside. He’s a two-way playmaker with shift, strength and instincts—exactly the type of player you’d want to rebuild around if you’re Milwaukee.
The Bucks haven’t had a real blue-chip young guard since Brandon Jennings, and Harper projects better. Add in the Spurs’ No. 14 pick, a glut of future assets and a flexible cap sheet, and the Spurs are the rare team that could overpay for Giannis Antetokounmpo and still come out just fine.
In a post-Antetokounmpo landscape for the Milwaukee Bucks, Harper would immediately step in as a primary building block to reshape their trajectory.
The picks could instantly begin Milwaukee's rebuild
Here’s the kicker: the fit works both ways.
Should the Spurs indeed pivot their future by acquiring Giannis Antetokounmpo, the calculus surrounding the No. 2 pick and a prospect like Dylan Harper shifts dramatically.
At this point, Harper needs no introduction. He's a dynamic and physically gifted guard who projects as a high-level initiator and scorer in the NBA. He's obviously no Cooper Flagg, but his potent blend of size, athleticism and burgeoning playmaking instincts makes him a compelling prospect in his own right. He's everything you want in a possible franchise cornerstone: he thrives with the ball in his hands, is capable of breaking down defenses off the dribble and has demonstrated a rapidly developing perimeter shot to boot.
While he's very much still raw in certain aspects, particularly consistency in his decision-making and defensive discipline, Harper's upside is endless. He's already shown more than just the potential to become a true lead guard: he's exactly that multi-faceted offensive engine capable of not only generating his own offense but also creating opportunities for teammates.
Giannis Antetokounmpo next to Victor Wembanyama is the kind of frontcourt pairing that breaks the sport. Offensively, Giannis would remain the primary downhill threat, while Wemby spaces the floor vertically and laterally.
Defensively, it’s unfair—two unicorns who can switch, rotate, and swallow entire possessions without needing help. Giannis doesn’t have to carry the defensive burden anymore. Wemby gives him that.
The Spurs already telegraphed their interest in contending sooner than expected by pursuing De'Aaron Fox, and a Fox-Giannis-Wemby trio would instantly become a top-tier threat in the West. It’s not theoretical—that team wins right now, while simultaneously taking Antetokounmpo away from a Texas rival in the Houston Rockets, who haven't exactly been subtle about their own interest in the Greek Freak.
The reality is that Milwaukee will need to overcharge, and San Antonio will need to overpay. And that's just the thing: they're one of the few teams in this league who can do just that.
If Giannis wants out, Milwaukee's only option is to find the best return
For Milwaukee, this isn’t a white-flag scenario. It’s a restart with direction. The Bucks would get Dylan Harper at No. 2, another lottery pick at 14, and likely one of San Antonio’s young pieces—think Jeremy Sochan or Malaki Branham—plus future draft capital.
That's a package that brings both ceiling and structure. It doesn’t leave you scrambling for identity like many other rebuilds in this league do. This one gives you that on a silver platter. Think Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to the Oklahoma City Thunder for a then-MVP candidate in Paul George.
San Antonio has always been one of the few destinations that made sense for Giannis: a humble, working-class small-market kind of grit, a disciplined front office and world-class player development. Now they also have exactly what the Milwaukee Bucks would need if Giannis ever said he wanted out.
Let's be clear about this: it’s not a trade you rush. It’s not the kind of move you make until and unless Giannis gives the clearest of signals. But if that day comes, the Spurs have the one thing no other team can offer: the most valuable asset in the draft and the perfect long-term fit on the other end.
And if the Milwaukee Bucks are forced to choose between holding on too long or setting the next decade up with clarity—this is the kind of deal that lets you sleep at night.