Several outlets say they believe the Golden State Warriors have the best trade offer the Milwaukee Bucks could get for Giannis Antetokounmpo, given the treasure chest of draft assets they can send. Sure, draft picks would be nice in a rebuild, but Milwaukee's poor draft record over the past decade is a clear sign that just because you have a draft pick doesn't mean it's destined to hit. If the team can get some draft picks AND established players, that's a better pitch.
Miami's offer should appeal to Bucks far more than Golden State's
The Warriors can offer a potential maximum of four first-round picks to the Bucks right now. On paper, sure, that sounds nice. However, Milwaukee's drafting record wouldn't give fans much hope. Year after year, Milwaukee has swung and missed on prospects, most recently taking AJ Johnson while passing on rising wings like Kyshawn George and Ryan Dunn.
Unless the Warriors fall off a cliff over the next several years and those picks are all top 10, the odds of the Bucks hitting on them feel slim. That's why the Milwaukee Bucks, if they are intent on trading Giannis Antetokounmpo, need to find a deal that allows them to acquire adequate picks and players. Settling for one or the other is simply asking for trouble, especially if it's just draft capital.
That's why the Bucks should be far more interested in talking with Miami than Golden State. While the Heat only have two tradeable first-rounders right now, they have a handful of young, compelling trade chips they can put on the table. Kel'el Ware looks like a rising center. Kasparas Jakučionis hasn't been on the court much, but he boasts potential. They also have established young players like Tyler Herro and Jaime Jaquez Jr., who could be nice building blocks or future trade candidates for more capital.
Even if the Milwaukee Bucks whiff on the draft picks they get from Miami, they still have a handful of young, up-and-coming players who could make sure trading away Giannis wasn't all for nothing. The Warriors do not have the type of young, blue-chip prospects the Milwaukee Bucks should be seeking alongside any draft capital to give them a nice balance in any trade.
Jonathan Kuminga? He has potential, but he was booted from the rotation before Jimmy Butler's injury. Wisconsin native Brandin Podziemski? A nice player, but far from blue-chip. Trayce Jackson-Davis? Gui Santos? Moses Moody? All decent players, but none of them jump off the page. That goes without mentioning the likely inclusion of Jimmy Butler, who just tore his ACL and is 36 years old, or Draymond Green, who is 35 and in decline, for salary-matching purposes.
The Warriors can throw the kitchen sink at the Bucks, but Milwaukee's unmistakably poor draft record makes the Heat's offer far more enticing.
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