There are players who spend years — decades even — preparing to win an NBA championship. Some never get there, but even for the ones that do, there is life afterward. The grind continues, and the goal remains the same, year after year.
No one knows that as well as Giannis Antetokounmpo, who won a championship with the Milwaukee Bucks in 2021 and has since been fruitless in his endeavors of winning another one.
This is particularly relevant this summer, as the Bucks find themselves in the worst possible situation they’ve ever been in during Antetokounmpo’s prime. The organization does not possess any high-value assets in the form of draft picks. Its cap situation — the 2025-26 salary cap is projected to be $154.6 million — while not quite a sea of flames yet, is extremely discouraging, and key members like Brook Lopez and Gary Trent Jr. can leave the franchise this summer.
As for the roster itself, it’s old, uninspiring and on its last legs. This isn’t aided by Doc Rivers roaming the sidelines as the organization’s head coach, as he refuses to give way to younger players, whom the team sorely needs to develop.
All of this is to emphasize the point, which Yahoo Sports senior writer Ben Rohrbach wonderfully laid out: It’s time to consider the possibility of trading the franchise.
Before we dig into one specific trade possibility, a few notes:
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Firstly, Bucks fans, we don’t hate you, nor do we particularly wish for Antetokounmpo to play elsewhere. He’s made a home in Milwaukee, he’s won there, and his ties to the community are indeed sublime. We’re simply reading the tea leaves of the challenges that lay at Milwaukee’s feet, and reaching the conclusion that another year in that organization, under these challenges, will be a complete waste of his prime. And nobody wants that.
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Secondly, we are not trying to push him to a major market like New York or Los Angeles. Yawn. It wouldn’t make sense even if we tried, as the Lakers, Clippers and Knicks don’t have the necessary assets to get a deal done, and Brooklyn is actively rebuilding.
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Finally, we’re working on the assumption Antetokounmpo would be moved after July 1, meaning teams can send out their recently drafted rookies without concern of triggering the Stepien Rule, which doesn’t allow teams to send out back-to-back first-rounders.
With that out of the way, let’s get into a trade destination that could be interesting for both sides.
Trade idea: Giannis to the Spurs
When the San Antonio Spurs traded for De’Aaron Fox, they sent a message to the rest of the league: We plan to compete faster than you think.
The Spurs aren’t done. How could they be? They’re still armed to the teeth with draft picks, they have one of the cleanest salary sheets in the league, and they have this 7-foot-4 French dude who might be good one day.
If Antetokounmpo is so inclined to accept the Spurs as a destination — as he and the Bucks would surely work together on a trade — San Antonio can make a strong offer.
The deal
Spurs get: Giannis Antetokounmpo
Bucks get: Devin Vassell, Jeremy Sochan, Harrison Barnes, 4 first-round picks
Vassell, Sochan and Barnes work as the salary-matching pieces. And we’ll get to the draft compensation, which would act as the main currency here.
Vassell is a traditional shooting guard who had a bit of a down year this season, but is fully capable of high-volume scoring performances, even on high efficiency. He’s on a very reasonable contract, which pays him $27 million both next season and the one that follows. His salary actually dips in 2027-28 to $24.6 million, and then returns to $27 million in the final year. That deal will age well, especially given the cap spike, which is estimated to be 10% every year moving forward. After the conclusion of this season, Vassell will never even crack 18% of the cap. That’s good business.
Sochan is on a rookie deal, and the Bucks would have to figure out if they’re ready to hand him an extension — of which he’ll be eligible this offseason — or if they want to let him test restricted free agency in 2026. The power forward isn’t a star, nor does he necessarily project as one, but he is an asset, and a player whom Milwaukee can try to scale up with his production to see if there’s more juice.
As for Barnes, he’ll be an expiring contract worth $19 million. Milwaukee can choose to let him expire and gain salary cap flexibility, or move him for a worse and longer contract while perhaps taking on compensation for doing so.
Which brings us to the draft compensation. The rough idea is this:
San Antonio sends out its two drafted players in this year’s draft (the Spurs are currently projected to pick at No. 8 and No. 14), as well as Atlanta’s 2027 unprotected pick, and Milwaukee’s choice of San Antonio’s own pick in 2029 or its 2031 unprotected selection.
One crucial caveat: Should the Spurs jump up in the lottery, especially if they land the top selection in Cooper Flagg, the 2027 Hawks pick will be off the table — unless some other team makes a competitive bid for the 6-11 former MVP.
(We’ll get to that later.)
This type of package resets Milwaukee pretty thoroughly, and the value relinquished for Antetokounmpo is, at least, at a level where the Bucks should have their interest piqued, telling the Spurs in their best Jon Stewart form to “Go on …” when they make the pitch.
For San Antonio, the idea is fairly obvious. Not only do you build the best two-way frontcourt in the NBA, but you catapult yourself into championship contention, pending you move around other contracts for more shooting to optimize floor spacing.
Now, remember how other teams could get into this?
What about the Thunder?
The sleeping giant, with all the wealth, might wake up for this one. The Oklahoma City Thunder haven’t been super aggressive in looking for star trades, because their product already works.
But if they’re looking at a scenario where Antetokounmpo could end up in San Antonio, perhaps that’s enough motivation to get involved, even if it’ll cost them a huge chunk of their remaining war chest of draft picks.
(Milwaukee will surely ask for Jalen Williams, and if the Thunder are inclined to accept that as a parameter, San Antonio will immediately have to make Stephon Castle available if it’s all-in on the Greek Freak.)
The Thunder can easily match contracts, too, by using Isaiah Hartenstein’s $28.5 million salary as a starting point, and adding players such as Isaiah Joe and Aaron Wiggins to make the money work.
It would appear likely the Spurs and Thunder will take center stage if Antetokounmpo does become available. They each have multiple assets to fork over, and both situations should be appealing for the 30-year-old, who has made it clear his goal is to win another title.
This would be good news for the Bucks, who can initiate a legitimate bidding war if they play their cards right. And when trading a talent like Giannis Antetokounmpo, they obviously will need to, so they don’t Mavericks themselves.
There are players who spend years — decades even — preparing to win an NBA championship. Some never get there, but even for the ones that do, there is life afterward. The grind continues, and the goal remains the same, year after year.
No one knows that as well as Giannis Antetokounmpo, who won a championship with the Milwaukee Bucks in 2021 and has since been fruitless in his endeavors of winning another one.
Advertisement
This is particularly relevant this summer, as the Bucks find themselves in the worst possible situation they’ve ever been in during Antetokounmpo’s prime. The organization does not possess any high-value assets in the form of draft picks. Its cap situation — the 2025-26 salary cap is projected to be $154.6 million — while not quite a sea of flames yet, is extremely discouraging, and key members like Brook Lopez and Gary Trent Jr. can leave the franchise this summer.
As for the roster itself, it’s old, uninspiring and on its last legs. This isn’t aided by Doc Rivers roaming the sidelines as the organization’s head coach, as he refuses to give way to younger players, whom the team sorely needs to develop.
All of this is to emphasize the point, which Yahoo Sports senior writer Ben Rohrbach wonderfully laid out: It’s time to consider the possibility of trading the franchise.
Before we dig into one specific trade possibility, a few notes:
Advertisement
-
Firstly, Bucks fans, we don’t hate you, nor do we particularly wish for Antetokounmpo to play elsewhere. He’s made a home in Milwaukee, he’s won there, and his ties to the community are indeed sublime. We’re simply reading the tea leaves of the challenges that lay at Milwaukee’s feet, and reaching the conclusion that another year in that organization, under these challenges, will be a complete waste of his prime. And nobody wants that.
-
Secondly, we are not trying to push him to a major market like New York or Los Angeles. Yawn. It wouldn’t make sense even if we tried, as the Lakers, Clippers and Knicks don’t have the necessary assets to get a deal done, and Brooklyn is actively rebuilding.
-
Finally, we’re working on the assumption Antetokounmpo would be moved after July 1, meaning teams can send out their recently drafted rookies without concern of triggering the Stepien Rule, which doesn’t allow teams to send out back-to-back first-rounders.
With that out of the way, let’s get into a trade destination that could be interesting for both sides.
When the San Antonio Spurs traded for De’Aaron Fox, they sent a message to the rest of the league: We plan to compete faster than you think.
The Spurs aren’t done. How could they be? They’re still armed to the teeth with draft picks, they have one of the cleanest salary sheets in the league, and they have this 7-foo-4 French dude who might be good one day.
If Antetokounmpo is so inclined to accept the Spurs as a destination — as he and the Bucks would surely work together on a trade — San Antonio can make a strong offer.
Advertisement
The deal
Spurs get: Giannis Antetokounmpo
Bucks get: Devin Vassell, Jeremy Sochan, Harrison Barnes, 4 first-round picks
Vassell, Sochan and Barnes work as the salary-matching pieces. And we’ll get to the draft compensation, which would act as the main currency here.
Vassell is a traditional shooting guard who had a bit of a down year this season, but is fully capable of high-volume scoring performances, even on high efficiency. He’s on a very reasonable contract, which pays him $27 million both next season and the one that follows. His salary actually dips in 2027-28 to $24.6 million, and then returns to $27 million in the final year. That deal will age well, especially given the cap spike, which is estimated to be 10% every year moving forward. After the conclusion of this season, Vassell will never even crack 18% of the cap. That’s good business.
Sochan is on a rookie deal, and the Bucks would have to figure out if they’re ready to hand him an extension — of which he’ll be eligible this offseason — or if they want to let him test restricted free agency in 2026. The power forward isn’t a star, nor does he necessarily project as one, but he is an asset, and a player whom Milwaukee can try to scale up with his production to see if there’s more juice.
Advertisement
As for Barnes, he’ll be an expiring contract worth $19 million. Milwaukee can choose to let him expire and gain salary cap flexibility, or move him for a worse and longer contract while perhaps taking on compensation for doing so.
Which brings us to the draft compensation. The rough idea is this:
San Antonio sends out its two drafted players in this year’s draft (the Spurs are currently projected to pick at No. 8 and No. 14), as well as Atlanta’s 2027 unprotected pick, and Milwaukee’s choice of San Antonio’s own pick in 2029 or its 2031 unprotected selection.
One crucial caveat: Should the Spurs jump up in the lottery, especially if they land the top selection in Cooper Flagg, the 2027 Hawks pick will be off the table — unless some other team makes a competitive bid for the 6-11 former MVP.
Advertisement
(We’ll get to that later.)
This type of package resets Milwaukee pretty thoroughly, and the value relinquished for Antetokounmpo is, at least, at a level where the Bucks should have their interest piqued, telling the Spurs in their best Jon Stewart form to “Go on …” when they make the pitch.
For San Antonio, the idea is fairly obvious. Not only do you build the best two-way frontcourt in the NBA, but you catapult yourself into championship contention, pending you move around other contracts for more shooting to optimize floor spacing.
Now, remember how other teams could get into this?
Advertisement
The sleeping giant, with all the wealth, might wake up for this one. The Oklahoma City Thunder haven’t been super aggressive in looking for star trades, because their product already works.
But if they’re looking at a scenario where Antetokounmpo could end up in San Antonio, perhaps that’s enough motivation to get involved, even if it’ll cost them a huge chunk of their remaining war chest of draft picks.
(Milwaukee will surely ask for Jalen Williams, and if the Thunder are inclined to accept that as a parameter, San Antonio will immediately have to make Stephon Castle available if it’s all-in on the Greek Freak.)
Advertisement
The Thunder can easily match contracts, too, by using Isaiah Hartenstein’s $28.5 million salary as a starting point, and adding players such as Isaiah Joe and Aaron Wiggins to make the money work.
It would appear likely the Spurs and Thunder will take center stage if Antetokounmpo does become available. They each have multiple assets to fork over, and both situations should be appealing for the 30-year-old, who has made it clear his goal is to win another title.
This would be good news for the Bucks, who can initiate a legitimate bidding war if they play their cards right. And when trading a talent like Giannis Antetokounmpo, they obviously will need to, so they don’t Mavericks themselves.
