- Milwaukee Bucks called Giannis to trade for Butler before he left the Timberwolves
- Giannis turned down the opportunity to stay with longtime teammate Khris Middleton
- Bucks could have built a dynasty with Butler, Giannis, and Jrue Holiday
Giannis Antetokounmpo has the chance to build a dynasty with his new superstar teammate Damian Lillard, but did you know he could have had a similar opportunity back in 2018? At that point, with so much left to prove, the Bucks were desperate for a title and they reached out to their superstar to ask for his blessing on pairing him with All-Star wing player Jimmy Butler, who ended up in Philadelphia in a deal involving three other teams.
Apparently, according to league insider Justin Termine, the Bucks nearly traded for Butler before Giannis shot it down and let the 76ers make a move. It stands today as a huge missed opportunity for the franchise. “Former Bucks Big Man John Henson told us on SiriusXM that the Bucks called Giannis to ask if he wanted to deal Khris Middleton for Jimmy Butler when Butler was unhappy in Minnesota,” said Termine. “According to Henson, Giannis vetoed the deal. A story I had not heard.”
Butler may not be on the same level as Lillard but had he paired with Giannis in 2018, he likely would have re-signed with them and it’s possible that they’d already be multiple-time champions. At the very least, they wouldn’t have suffered defeat against the Heat this past summer. Instead, Giannis chose to stay with Khris Middleton and the team missed their chance to add star power.
Did Giannis Make The Wrong Choice?
Looking back, it’s crazy to think how much better the Bucks could have been with Giannis over Middleton, but they still managed to win a title and it somewhat validated Giannis’ decision to keep the team intact. What Giannis didn’t foresee was that Middleton would struggle to stay healthy after their title win in 2021. And after working for years to regain his form, Khris has yet to reach the level he was previously.
Over the past two seasons combined, Middleton has played in just 99 total games for the Bucks and was basically a no-show during their 2023 collapse against Miami. Meanwhile, in South Beach, Butler has elevated the franchise to another level and it was through his influence that they returned to being a competitive team. In four seasons with the Heat, Butler is averaging 21.5 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 5.9 assists per game on 49% shooting and that has come with two appearances in the NBA Finals.
There’s a strong case to be made that the Bucks made the wrong choice by keeping Middleton over Butler, who has proven to be a high-impact player in the playoffs. But, then again, trading for Jimmy might have made it impossible to secure Damian Lillard, who is undoubtedly a better fit next to the Greek Freak.
The Bucks Are On The Clock
As Bucks fans celebrate the huge acquisition of Lillard, the players are preparing for a lot of hard work ahead. Despite how it may seem, it can take time for two top-level superstars to learn how to play together and for someone like Lillard, who has been the top dog for most of his career, it might be an adjustment for him to share the burden of leadership with a guy who is actually better at basketball.
Nevertheless, the Bucks are managing enormous expectations now and they are all out of excuses if they fail to get it done. With Lillard, Giannis, Middleton, Brook Lopez, and a capable cast off the bench, the Bucks have the best team in the East on paper and you can bet that their season will be considered a failure if they don’t get it done.
Regarding Jimmy Butler, he’s not going to give up on his quest to win a title but it’s tough not to think about what could have been for him had he joined the Bucks instead of the 76ers all those years ago. of course, it’s too late to go back now and there’s nothing for Butler to do but accept his situation and make the most of it.
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