The Milwaukee Bucks are hitting the panic button, having started the season off disastrously with a 2-8 record. The superstar duo of Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard hasn’t been able to galvanize the squad, and Doc Rivers’ side is one of the worst teams in the NBA right now. This poor record could spur them on to make some big decisions.
The Bucks are reportedly in the trade market and could be looking to make some big changes to their roster and turn things around. But rather than bring in another big star, they could make a move to start a rebuild and get as many assets as possible.
The Brooklyn Nets, despite beginning a rebuild, have started the season better than many expected them to. They currently boast a record of 4-6, and under Jordi Fernandez, the roster has been playing really well. With a wealth of assets under their belt, the Nets could look to accelerate their rebuild with a big move.
And that is what Bill Simmons expects, as he suggested that the Nets could use their recently acquired assets from the Mikal Bridges trade to land Giannis Antetokounmpo. Simmons’ idea might just work, as the Nets have the players and the draft assets to pull the deal off.
Trade Details
Brooklyn Nets Receive: Giannis Antetokounmpo, Bobby Portis.
Milwaukee Bucks Receive: Ben Simmons, Bojan Bogdanovic, Jalen Wilson, 2025 First-Round Pick (MIL), 2025 First-Round Pick (NYK), 2025 First-Round Pick Swap (OKC, HOU, or PHX), 2026 First-Round Pick, 2027 First-Round Pick (PHI), 2027 First-Round Pick (NYK) 2028 First-Round Pick, 2029 First-Round Pick (NYK).
This deal matches the salary perfectly and allows both teams to go in different directions for the rest of the season. One might argue that the Nets are giving up too much in this trade from an asset standpoint.
But given that they are receiving not one, but two winning players, and getting to hold on to their own first-round picks that they can deal in another trade for a big player, the deal works out just fine.
How Does This Trade Work?
Currently, there isn’t a lot of clarity regarding where the Bucks stand on a potential trade for Giannis Antetokounmpo. Dealing Giannis away would mean that they give up on their current project and enter a rebuild. And given Giannis is just 30 years old and has a few more years of his prime left, they might not want to do that.
However, Giannis has been vocal on numerous occasions this season about his frustration with the Bucks’ performances and has made it clear that if the team is not capable of winning an NBA championship, he will not hesitate to look to other teams.
The Bucks get a host of first-round picks, including their own 2025 first-round pick back in this trade. Should they enter a rebuild, and decide to commit to tanking, their own pick will be incredibly valuable for next year’s NBA Draft, as the class of 2025 is one of the most stacked in recent history.
With the salaries of Giannis Antetokounmpo ($48.7 million) and Bobby Portis ($12.5 million) being quite large, the Nets would have to match it. Ben Simmons ($40.3 million) and Bojan Bogdanovic ($19.0 million) have massive contracts that are expiring, giving the Bucks cap flexibility next season. Plus, Jalen Wilson ($1.8 million) has shown promise as a young building block for the future.
Add to that 7 first-round picks and a pick swap that the Bucks will get to start their rebuild, it is a deal too good for them to overlook.
Brooklyn Nets Finally Land New Superstar
Nets GM Sean Marks will get a headstart on the team’s rebuild with this deal, as he can land not just a bonafide megastar in Giannis Antetokounmpo, but another championship piece in Bobby Portis.
Combine that with the scoring dynamite that is Cam Thomas and the burgeoning wing defense of Cameron Johnson, the Nets will have a strong team on their hands.
Giannis, despite the struggles of the Bucks this season, has been sensational, averaging 31.6 points, 12.8 rebounds, 5.2 assists, 0.4 steals, and 0.9 blocks per game. As for Bobby Portis, he has played decently as well, contributing 12.5 points, 8.2 rebounds, 0.8 assists, 0.5 steals, and 0.6 blocks per game.
This deal also allows the Nets to land a star without having to empty out their treasure chest of draft picks. The Nets keep a good chunk of their own first-round picks, which they could use to land another star and build another contender after the Kevin Durant-Kyrie Irving-James Harden experiment failed massively.
But the concern would be that the Nets don’t want to land a 30-year-old star who is now entering the tail end of his prime. Especially a star like Giannis, who is so reliant on his physicality. This deal will come down to Sean Marks’ willingness to gamble on a new star.
Will The Bucks Enter A Rebuild Now?
Having started the season 2-8, there are serious concerns about the Milwaukee Bucks and where they go from here. While it is still early in the season, the Bucks have not shown any signs of being championship contenders under Doc Rivers, and the new ownership of the Bucks might decide that they should start all over and enter a rebuild.
This deal with the Nets would give the Bucks a treasure trove of draft picks that they can use to execute a great rebuild, with the draft picks not only including their own 2025 first-round pick, but also picks from other teams that are currently struggling, like the Knicks, 76ers, and Rockets.
The Bucks could use these picks to draft a young contending team, similar to what the Thunder have done in the past few years. Or they could use these assets to execute trades that would help them land some new, younger stars to help get back to their winning ways.
A Trade To Shake Up The NBA
There is no doubt that if this trade, or a trade similar to this with slightly different names, comes about between the Nets and the Bucks, it will cause a massive shift in the status quo of the NBA. The Nets get two massive pieces they can add to their young core to try and build a new contender, while the Bucks get an incredible haul of assets they can use to begin their rebuild.
Getting Antetokounmpo and Portis with the assets they retain also allows Sean Marks to surround them with players that will suit their game. Players like Cam Thomas and Cam Johnson would work well with them, but Nic Claxton, who is another bright young prospect, might have to be moved to another team, as he wouldn’t fit with the two new stars.
The Nets do not have a great history when having a team with superstar talent. Fans notably remember their abysmal trade for Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce, in which they gave up several draft assets to the Celtics, two of which turned into Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown.
As for the Bucks, this might be the route they have to take if they want to safeguard their future. On top of that, they could also get another massive haul in a deal for Damian Lillard, which would set them up brilliantly for the years to come as they begin a rebuild.
For the NBA, this deal would be massive, it brings one of their biggest stars, Giannis Antetokounmpo, to one of the biggest markets in the NBA. Having two excellent teams in New York will be massively beneficial for the league from a media and fan interest standpoint as well.
Thank you for being a valued reader of Fadeaway World. If you liked this article, please consider following us on Google News. We really appreciate your support.
