Hoops Habit
Fansided

If Giannis Antetokounmpo demands a trade: Ranking the favorites

By Duncan Smith

LAKE BUENA VISTA, FLORIDA - SEPTEMBER 04: Giannis Antetokounmpo #34 of the Milwaukee Bucks reacts during the third quarter against the Miami Heat in Game Three of the Eastern Conference Second Round during the 2020 NBA Playoffs at the Field House at the ESPN Wide World Of Sports Complex on September 04, 2020 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)
LAKE BUENA VISTA, FLORIDA - SEPTEMBER 04: Giannis Antetokounmpo #34 of the Milwaukee Bucks reacts during the third quarter against the Miami Heat in Game Three of the Eastern Conference Second Round during the 2020 NBA Playoffs at the Field House at the ESPN Wide World Of Sports Complex on September 04, 2020 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
1 of 4
Next
Giannis Antetokounmpo
Giannis Antetokounmpo (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) /

The Milwaukee Bucks and their MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo are fresh off one of the most humbling defeats in NBA playoff history. Here’s what could be next.

The Milwaukee Bucks are the rare team to have the best record in the NBA and not make the NBA Finals not just once but twice. Last season, led by MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo, they finished 60-22 but were knocked out of the playoffs in the Eastern Conference Finals by the Toronto Raptors, who ended up winning the championship over the Golden State Warriors.

This season, they went 56-17 in a COVID-abbreviated season (62.9 win pace over an 82 game season) and this time they were overwhelmed by the Miami Heat in a five-game second-round upset.

All credit to the Miami Heat, who should suddenly be considered a major challenger to get to the NBA Finals, but relative to expectation, this loss is a humiliation for the Bucks. They were a “championship or bust” squad, and they didn’t even get close.

Now we need to think about the future, both for the Bucks and for Giannis Antetokounmpo. He’ll be the most anticipated free agent since LeBron James and Kevin Durant in the summer of 2021 (or whenever that season’s corresponding free agency ends up being), and it’s worth remembering that both of those players left their teams.

Giannis has said repeatedly that he plans to stay in Milwaukee to build something there, but to be fair, that’s not too far off what Kevin Durant said in Oklahoma City and what Kyrie Irving said in Boston, and others have said over the years. While Giannis may be a bit more reliable in what he says than the mercurial Durant and Irving, the bottom line is to not believe pending free agents until they sign on the dotted line.

The Bucks won’t move preemptively to trade him and ensure that they get some value in case he wants to go. Instead, the only reason they’ll choose to trade him is if he tells them he’s not coming back. For precedence here, we can look at Paul George with the Indiana Pacers and Anthony Davis with the New Orleans Pelicans.

If he does insist on being traded out of Milwaukee, however, there is a clear hierarchy of suitable trade partners, via BetOnline. We’ll break down the top five possible trade destinations for Giannis Antetokounmpo (if he wants out of Milwaukee).