The Milwaukee Bucks' turnaround after a poor 2-8 start has been impressive, to say the least. After their awful start, they have since gone 9-2 and have quieted concerns about their future and the future of Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Giannis has put the Bucks on his back, averaging 32.6 points, 11.6 rebounds, and 6.6 assists per game while showing off a new weapon in his arsenal. Although Milwaukee ranks just fifth in the East, they are in a far better position to climb in the standings now than they were a month ago.
With the Bucks rolling, it is looking less and less likely that Giannis will demand a trade, and the Bucks reportedly have already shut down any trade talks. That will likely come as a big relief to Milwaukee fans who had to contend with their team being awful and with their best player potentially asking out. Now neither appears probable.
NBA Rumors: The Bucks slam the door on a wild trade rumor
As the Bucks have climbed up the standings, they have reminded many that they are viable contenders in the Eastern Conference. Of course, they are still well behind the Cleveland Cavaliers, Boston Celtics, and New York Knicks, and they may need to make a trade to compete with them in a playoff series.
There is also the Orlando Magic, who have been surprisingly good even without their best player. Be that as it may, it isn't all bad. The Philadelphia 76ers were seen as a top-3 team in the East in the preseason but have the second-worst record in the conference. Also, Milwaukee has arguably the best player on any of those teams, and that should give them a huge leg up in a series against those teams.
Giannis alone can't deliver them a series, but he has had enough help to turn their season around. They will need more but are short on trade assets. They can swap the rights to their 2031 first-round pick, which could be valuable with it being a possible lottery pick. Particularly with their core unlikely to be on the team by that point.
They could pair that with Pat Connaughton and Bobby Portis Jr. to try and bring back an impactful player. Overall, the Bucks' hot streak has changed their season for the better and given them more time to build around their best player. With the Giannis rumor mill dying down, they can focus on making a trade to bolster their playoff hopes.