It hasn't been a good month for the Milwaukee Bucks. They are about to be eliminated by the Indiana Pacers for the second straight season, and star Damian Lillard was just ruled out for the rest of the season and presumably most of next season with an ACL tear.
Now comes word from Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo about his future with the team. Giannis was asked about potentially playing elsewhere and had this to say:
if there's a better situation for me to win the Larry O'Brien, I have to take that better situation," he told Ross Geiger on a recent podcast interview.
Giannis doubling down on potentially wanting to play elsewhere isn't surprising but is still concerning for the Bucks and their fans. After all, the Bucks are likely going to be eliminated in the first round for the third time in the last four seasons.
Now, with Lillard left to recover from an ACL tear, which can range from nine to 12 months, Milwaukee will almost certainly be far worse next season. That could force the Bucks to make a big decision this summer.
Giannis Antetokounmpo's comments give the Milwaukee Bucks the perfect chance to rebuild
If Giannis forces his way out of town, the Bucks should take the opportunity to rebuild. Don't get me wrong, them being forced to trade a franchise icon would be a kick in the antlers, but it could benefit them in the long run.
The Bucks probably aren't going to contend again with Giannis, so they might as well trade him if he wants out to the highest bidder. If they were to go that route, even with Giannis likely having a list of teams, they could receive a historic haul.
The Brooklyn Nets, San Antonio Spurs, and Oklahoma City Thunder may all be at the top of Giannis' list. Fortunately for the Bucks, each team has plenty of assets. The Nets have four first-round picks in this year's draft, with them being able to offer up two of them plus a few future firsts and matching salary.
The Spurs could offer three of Devin Vassell, Keldon Johnson, Stephon Castle, or Jeremy Sochan and picks. Lastly, the Thunder have the most picks in the league and could offer a pick-heavy package to bowl over the Bucks.
Talking about potential Giannis trade packages might be putting the cart before the horse, but teams are already likely constructing hypothetical packages. Moreover, Giannis' comments have done little to dissuade rival teams from doing so, with him likely being the next superstar to be moved this summer.