The Milwaukee Bucks made some trades before the NBA trade deadline. Khris Middleton, Giannis Antetokounmpo’s longtime teammate with the Bucks, was traded to the Washington Wizards for Kyle Kuzma.
That wasn’t the only shock during the NBA trade deadline this year. Stars like Luka Doncic were traded to the Los Angeles Lakers from the Dallas Mavericks. De’Aaron Fox was also traded from the Sacramento Kings to the San Antonio Spurs.
CBS Sports Writer Sam Quinn Thinks That Milwaukee Bucks Giannis Antetokounmpo Could Be One Of the Next Big Stars In the NBA Traded
With the NBA trade deadline in the rearview mirror, it will be interesting to see which next NBA superstars will potentially be traded this offseason when it arrives. This season, the Milwaukee Bucks are the fifth seed in the Eastern Conference with a 28-23 record.
If the season ended today, they would face the Indiana Pacers in the first round. Well, CBS sports writer Sam Quinn listed five potential superstars to be next to be potentially traded and the one name that always circulates is Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo. Quinn said:
“Bucks fans roll their eyes every time we do this. Antetokounmpo has been making these lists for half a decade now. In fairness, he drives a lot of the drama himself. Every time he’s nearing free agency or antsy about Milwaukee’s future, he puts public pressure on the team to find a way to improve before he starts looking elsewhere. To their credit, the Bucks always oblige. They got him Jrue Holiday in 2020 and they won a championship. They got him Damian Lillard three years later.
The results haven’t been quite as strong yet, but there’s still time for them to change that. Maybe they go on a deep playoff run this spring and Antetokounmpo feels content with this roster. Maybe they don’t, but somehow manage to pull another rabbit out of their hat this summer with a third major move. They do still have their 2031 first-round pick at their disposal as well as swap rights in 2032 once offseason arrives.
But man, the deck is stacked against the Bucks long-term right now. The reviews on the Kyle Kuzma-for-Khris Middleton swap have been tepid. Middleton may no longer have been reliably healthy, but he and Antetokounmpo are close, and at his peak, he was far better than Kuzma’s ever been. That deal got the Bucks below the second apron, which opened the door to salary aggregation trades. They didn’t make one when more improvements to this roster are probably needed. Couldn’t they, for example, have offered to step in on the Marcus Smart salary dump Memphis made and tried to take a chance on him using the salaries of Bobby Portis and Pat Connaughton?
As it stands right now, the Bucks just don’t have enough versatility and defense on the wing, and with Antetokounmpo playing some backup center, Portis seems like a luxury they can no longer afford.”
After the 2024-2025 season, Giannis Antetokounmpo will have two more years left on his contract. For the 2026-2027 season, he will have a player option, and then if he decides to pick it up, he will not be a free agent until after that season ends.
Antetokounmpo is 30 years old and hopes to stay with the Milwaukee Bucks for his entire career. Giannis Antetokounmpo being traded away anytime soon to another team feels like a pipe dream for other NBA clubs.
Other Stars To Watch
Giannis Antetokounmpo won’t be the biggest name on the trade market this offseason if the Bucks flame out again in the first round. Two bigger names to watch for this offseason will be Kevin Durant of the Phoenix Suns and Trae Young of the Atlanta Hawks, Durant was almost traded during the NBA trade deadline and he did not want to go back to the Golden State Warriors.
Those are two names to watch for to be traded next offseason. Zion Williamson of the New Orleans Pelicans, Bradley Beal of the Phoenix Suns, Julius Randle of the Minnesota Timberwolves, Brandon Ingram of the New Orleans Pelicans, and more could also be on the move. It would feel like a major shock if Antetokounmpo was traded during the offseason. If it happens, then a rebuild will happen.
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