The Milwaukee Bucks could make a record-setting trade, should they decide to move on from Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Through ten games played, a team with Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard on the roster has won just two games. The Bucks have been disastrous not just this season, but they’ve struggled since Doc Rivers arrived as the head coach mid-season last year.
The Bucks fired Adrian Griffin, who had a 30-13 record as the head coach of the team in favor of a coach who has since managed a losing record since his arrival.
There might not be a path forward with the current core the Bucks have, despite claims that they’re going to try and make it work. Rivers sounded confident the club can still make the playoffs, but that’s what a coach is supposed to say. If the Bucks can’t straighten up, and do so quickly, it could be time to move on into a new era.
The decision to trade to partner Lillard with Antetokounmpo has not worked, and leaves a rebuild as the only viable option. Bill Simmons believes the only way out for Milwaukee is to start again, as he explained during his show.
“I just think they have to trade Dame and trade Giannis,” Simmons said, bluntly.
Finding a suitable trade partner for a player like Antetokounmpo is tough. There’s not necessarily a value that makes sense for an MVP-level superstar. However, if a rebuild is inevitable, having a record-setting amount of draft capital come through the door could make sense, according to Simmons.
“I actually think it’s Brooklyn. I think Brooklyn can be a team that trades for [Antetokounmpo] because they can just overwhelm Milwaukee with all these picks,” Simmons explained. “…They can just say, ‘Hey, Milwaukee. Here’s Ben Simmons’ expiring contract and here are all these picks. Just take all of them. Take as many as you want and give us Giannis.’ I think it makes sense.”
To get a player like Antetokounmpo, the Nets would have to carve out their draft capital and ship it to Milwaukee. They’ve acquired the picks and recent years, and the trade would only be valuable if they’re only losing a player like Ben Simmons. Keeping the rest of their core is the reason the trade would be worth it — as they have a legitimate Eastern Conference squad.
“To me, it’s conceivable to out of nowhere be like, ‘Oh my God, Brooklyn traded nine first-round picks and Ben Simmons’ contract and two swaps — this is the most picks anyone has traded for a player in the history of the NBA,’” Simmons said.
Why would the Bucks do this? For starters, they’d be receiving the most draft capital in the history of NBA trades.
They also have no path forward given their current situation with their team. Unless a head coaching change is made and changes the trajectory of their season, a trade might be the only route to any contention in the future.
“You have no picks left. You have no path to ever being a title contender with the group you have now,” Simmons claimed.
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