OKC Thunder Land Giannis Antetokounmpo In A Crazy Proposed Massive Trade

• The Thunder finally go all-in on their young core

• Giannis Antetokounmpo has been teasing leaving Milwaukee to compete for titles 

• A Giannis and Shai-led OKC Thunder could be one of the best teams in the West

Giannis Antetokounmpo has spent this summer sending warning shots to the Milwaukee Bucks about his future with the franchise. Even though he is under contract for two more seasons, Giannis could ask out of the franchise if he doesn’t believe they’re capable of competing for more championships after two consecutive seasons with playoff disappointment.

The Greek Freak has told everyone that he isn’t going to be extending his contract until he sees a commitment to winning from the Bucks. Instead of re-tooling an old roster around Giannis, this might be the time for the Bucks to cash in and get a haul that would instantly begin the process of a rebuild. The perfect team to send them the assets they need is in the Western Conference, as the OKC Thunder have plenty of players and picks to send out to make Giannis join their franchise. 

Trade Details

Milwaukee Bucks Receive: Chet Holmgren, Cason Wallace, Davis Bertans, Ousmane Dieng, 2024 Clippers First-Round Pick, 2025 Thunder First-Round Pick, 2026 Clippers First-Round Pick, 2027 Thunder First-Round Pick

Oklahoma City Thunder Receive: Giannis Antetokounmpo

The Thunder have never been a big free-agent destination and are already facing problems with retaining all the talented young players on the roster. This not only removes a backlog of talented players that the Bucks could use in rebuilding their roster but also adds Giannis to an incredibly talented core. 

The Milwaukee Bucks Cash Out With A High-Value Trade Instead Of Losing Giannis For Nothing

As we move toward the summer of 2025 when Giannis can hit the free-agent market, the pressure on the Bucks will gradually increase. With an aging and injury-prone core, they could capitalize on Giannis’ value and get a very sizable haul from the Thunder if they don’t delay. Teams will fight over Giannis, but superstar trades tend to not fetch the best value when teams are under the gun. We can see how hard Portland is resisting a Damian Lillard trade at this point because they cannot get the same value they could have had two seasons ago.

Chet Holmgren would be the best young player that the Bucks could ask for from any team in the running for a Giannis trade. Holmgren was touted to have superstar potential and can develop in a Milwaukee setup where he will be the primary focus. They already have a proven record of developing lanky players who have DPOY potential into winners. Holmgren is yet to play in the NBA but is expected to battle Victor Wembanyama for Rookie of the Year.

The Thunder’s 2023 draft pick Cason Wallace is a player they have high hopes for. Developing him behind both Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Josh Giddey will be incredibly challenging, so it’ll be good for him to make his NBA debut in Milwaukee as the primary guard option. When you throw in forward Ousmane Dieng, a player with high potential provided he gets some playing time, the Bucks receive three players that could one day be core tenets for their franchise. Dieng played minimal minutes for the Thunder last season, averaging 4.9 points, 2.7 rebounds, and 1.2 assists in 39 games.

Davis Bertans is thrown into the deal to make the money work with his $16 million. In addition to the three young players and Bertans, the Thunder also will part with four unprotected first-round picks. These include the two Clippers picks they are still owed, as their 2026 pick in particular could be extremely valuable given the team’s aging core. 

The Thunder Switch Their Dials To ‘Win-Now Mode’

The Thunder have been out of the playoffs for the last three seasons and will look to change that this year. If they get Giannis alongside their incredible backcourt of Shai and Giddey, the team will have a bonafide big three. Retaining a perimeter defender like Luguentz Dort will also ensure that Giannis doesn’t have to bear the brunt of carrying the Thunder defensively, while exciting players like Jalen Williams get to stay on the roster and learn under Giannis. 

Antetokounmpo averaged 31.1 points, 11.8 rebounds, and 5.7 assists last season and was an MVP candidate all season long. If he can bring that level of production next to Shai, who was on the All-NBA First Team after averaging 31.4 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 5.5 assists, the Thunder would be unstoppable. 

The Western Conference is very challenging this season and the Thunder are expected to be in the mix for the play-in tournament or the sixth seed. If they get Giannis, they’ll be expected to compete alongside the Lakers, Suns, and Nuggets at the very top of the Conference. 

Given the years of tanking, Giannis may have to adjust to the team’s setup for a season or two. But just the duo of Shai and Giannis would make the team a contender, let alone the depth that the team has carefully drafted over the years. Along with that, the Thunder still have draft assets left over to further tweak the roster for whatever Giannis needs.

Would The Thunder Finally Win A Championship With Giannis Antetokounmpo Leading Them?

The OKC Thunder became the franchise they are today in 2008 after moving from Seattle to the city. Even though they drafted three MVPs in consecutive seasons with Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, and James Harden, these players never brought them a championship. Their rebuild has been highly publicized in the NBA given the incredible haul of assets they got for trading Russell Westbrook to the Rockets and Paul George to the Clippers. They have built a competitive roster fairly quickly and need that one piece that can transform them into genuine contenders.

The duo of Shai and Giannis with useless players around them would likely guarantee the franchise 45 wins on their own. When you look at players like Giddey, Williams, Dort, Pokusevski, and others still on the roster, you can see that the Thunder have pieces to either run this roster with depth or make additional moves to acquire another star with their remaining picks. The Thunder can still offer pick swaps and their 2029 first-round pick in a trade to go completely all-in. 

The Bucks would likely move on from Jrue Holiday and Brook Lopez while letting Khris Middleton bring up his trade value with one healthy season under his belt. It’ll be heartbreaking to see Giannis separate from that Bucks core that won a title, but going to another franchise without a title and in a small market would be the best way for Giannis to keep focus on the championship goals he so clearly has.

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