The Giannis Antetokounmpo situation has reached a head in Milwaukee, and a trade is seen as inevitable by the vast majority of the NBA community. It’s anyone’s guess where the two-time MVP might end up this summer, but a trade may not just put him on the move.
According to NBA insider Jake Fischer, the Bucks also desire to offload Kyle Kuzma and Bobby Portis in any potential Giannis trade. It would effectively reset the franchise, putting them into rebuilding mode by turning beloved veterans into young players and draft picks.
Giannis, 31, was drafted back in 2013, and he prided himself on his loyalty. For years, he never showed any hints of leaving, and he signed a massive extension after leading the Bucks to a championship in 2021. But as the Bucks declined as a team, Giannis’ loyalty was tested, and it’s gotten to a point where he’s likely played his final season in Milwaukee.
With another two years and $120 million on his contract (including a $62.7 million player option in 2027-28), the Bucks have a lot of leverage in Giannis talks, and they will not give him up easily. That’s why they want to seize the opportunity and use the Giannis deal to offload the rest of their veteran core.
Whether it’s a three-team trade, a two-team mega deal, or multiple separate trades, the Bucks are mixing things up in a major way, and they will be unrecognizable next season. Without Giannis on the team, we can’t expect them to compete for a title, but they will be in a position to build something new from the massive return they get back in this summer’s moves.
At 31 years old, Bobby Portis has already peaked as a player, but he’s still valuable for his on-court production. In 2025-26, through 67 games, he averaged 13.7 points, 6.4 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 0.6 steals, and 0.2 blocks per game on 48.8% shooting and 45.6% shooting from three. At 6’9″, he’s a bit undersized for the position, but he makes up for it with his mobility, energy, and consistent effort.
Only a win-now team would be incentivized to trade for Portis, making him an ideal inclusion in any Giannis trade. As a team that needs a center and that has been in the middle of trade talks, the Golden State Warriors would likely not object to taking Portis to stabilize their thin frontcourt rotation. One framework of a deal could see the Warriors send Draymond Green, Moses Moody, Brandin Podziemski, Jimmy Butler, a 2027 first-round pick, a 2028 first-round pick, and a 2029 first-round pick in exchange for Giannis, Portis, and Kuzma.
As a former NBA champion, Kyle Kuzma has plenty of playoff experience and remains capable of providing a consistent scoring spark. This season, in 69 games, he averaged 13.0 points, 4.5 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 0.7 steals, and 0.4 blocks per game on 49.2% shooting and 34.7% shooting from three. While the NBA swingman is still reminiscent of his Lakers days, he may soon be in a position to compete once again if he joins Giannis and Portis in a trade.
Among other teams, the Miami Heat stand to gain the most in this scenario. While they would have to give up a massive haul (Tyler Herro, Andrew Wiggins, Davion Mitchell, Nikola Jovic, Kel’el Ware, and Jaime Jaquez Jr., along with draft picks), it might be worth it to bring Giannis, Kuzma, and Portis to Miami to join Bam Adebayo and potentially Norman Powell.
For now, it’s all just a waiting game. With so much noise over the past few weeks and months, it’s clear that something is ready to give in Milwaukee, and the fallout will impact far more than just the Bucks. If they decide to do a full makeover, the NBA hierarchy may shift in ways nobody imagined.
