The writing may be on the wall for the Milwaukee Bucks and star Giannis Antetokounmpo. He appears likely to be traded between now and the February deadline, but there is a glimmer of hope that can keep him in Milwaukee.
The Dallas Mavericks may be looking to retool around number one overall pick Cooper Flagg and could be open to trading star Anthony Davis. You know exactly where I'm going with this, right?
The Mavericks could trade Davis to the Bucks in exchange for Kyle Kuzma and Milwaukee's 2031 unprotected first-round pick. Myles Turner would likely have to be included in that deal with a third team getting involved, potentially the Golden State Warriors, who are in desperate need of more size.
They could trade Jonathan Kuminga to the Mavs along with two first-round picks, also being sent to Dallas from Golden State.
Mavs just gifted the Bucks a last-ditch trade to keep Giannis
That trade might just be crazy enough to work out for all three teams. The Bucks would get an upgrade over Turner, offload Kuzma, and only have to give up a first-round pick in the process. That might be enough to keep Giannis from demanding a trade this season.
For the Warriors, they'd get a stretch-five who's also previously led the league in blocked shots twice. He'd be a major upgrade at center and would strongly boost their playoff hopes while also allowing them to get off of Kuminga, who's worn out his welcome in the Bay Area.
Lastly, the Mavericks would get a surprisingly good haul for Davis with an unprotected Bucks first in 2031 that could end up being a lottery pick, Kuminga, Kuzma, and two firsts from Golden State.
The proposed trade could be a win-win for all teams involved
Both Kuminga and Kuzma are probably negative-value players. However, the Mavericks would be compensated with three first-round picks. That is huge considering that Dallas is short on draft picks, and at least Kuminga still has some upside. Dallas will have to be creative rebuilding around Flagg, and this trade would be a good start for them.
While the trade technically couldn't happen until January 15th due to Kuminga's trade restriction, the potential blockbuster seems reasonable for each team involved.
All told, the Bucks need to make a major trade if they hope to keep Giannis happy. Davis could be that player, and a three-team blockbuster between the Bucks, Warriors, and Mavericks could help each franchise.