Trade rumors regarding Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo dominated headlines in the earlier stages of this offseason, but eventually died down. It seemed like Antetokounmpo was set to stay, and Bucks fans breathed a huge sigh of relief. Unfortunately for them, there is now a twist in the tale.
ESPN’s Shams Charania reported that Antetokounmpo is still evaluating his future with the Bucks and is in the process of assessing if the roster is good enough to win the title. So, an exit is still potentially on the cards, but it would take a massive offer to get him out of Milwaukee.
Well, the Atlanta Hawks are a team that can put an interesting offer on the table. The Hawks have been one of the winners of this offseason, and we’ve come up with a mock trade that sees them go all-in and acquire Antetokounmpo.
Proposed Trade Details
Atlanta Hawks Receive: Giannis Antetokounmpo
Milwaukee Bucks Receive: Jalen Johnson, Zaccharie Risacher, 2026 first-round pick (most favorable of MIL/NOP), 2027 first-round pick (least favorable of MIL/NOP), 2029 first-round pick (ATL), 2031 first-round pick (ATL)
The Hawks Create A Power-Packed Duo
The Hawks’ acquiring Antetokounmpo would mean Trae Young finally gets to play alongside a superstar in the NBA. The two would form one of the strongest duos in the league, and they would have a solid supporting cast around them, too.
Antetokounmpo averaged 30.4 points, 11.9 rebounds, 6.5 assists, 0.9 steals, and 1.2 blocks per game for the Bucks in 2024-25. He is widely regarded as a top-three player in the NBA today and is the kind of elite-tier player that this Hawks team has lacked in the Young era to become a contender.
As for Young, he averaged 24.2 points, 3.1 rebounds, 11.6 assists, 1.2 steals, and 0.2 blocks per game in 2024-25. Despite putting up those great numbers, he wasn’t able to lead the Hawks to the playoffs. That wouldn’t be the case next season if Antetokounmpo were next to Young.
To go with that scoring punch, Antetokounmpo would also help cover for Young’s deficiencies on defense. They are just an ideal fit.
The Bucks Get Young Talent And Their Own Picks
The Bucks aren’t getting an established star in this deal, but they are getting a lot of value. For starters, Jalen Johnson could blossom into a star one day and is coming off a productive season.
Johnson averaged 18.9 points, 10.0 rebounds, 5.0 assists, 1.6 steals, and 1.0 blocks per game for the Hawks in 2024-25. Health has been a concern lately when it comes to the 23-year-old, as he has played 92 games over the last two seasons. You just have to hope that the injury bug stays away in the future.
Zaccharie Risacher would be another fine addition after a promising rookie season. Risacher, the first pick of the 2024 NBA Draft, averaged 12.6 points, 3.6 rebounds, 1.2 assists, 0.7 steals, and 0.5 blocks per game in 2024-25 to finish runner-up for Rookie of the Year.
Risacher had a bit of a slow start, but took some big strides as the season went on. It’s too early to say if he will become a superstar in the NBA, but he certainly won’t be a bust.
While Johnson and Risacher are valuable assets, it’s the draft picks that could well seal the deal. The Bucks would regain control of their 2026 first-round pick, which would allow them to tank next season. They don’t get full control of their 2027 first-round pick, but it’s unlikely the New Orleans Pelicans are going to be all that good to hurt them too much.
Add in two more future Hawks first-round picks, and this is a pretty good offer.
Hawks Emerge As One Of The Favorites To Win The East
The Hawks’ offseason had led to them being considered a dark horse in the East, and acquiring Antetokounmpo would arguably make them the favorites. We already spoke about the duo, and there are quality pieces next to them even after this trade.
Dyson Daniels is the best of the bunch, finishing runner-up for Defensive Player of the Year in 2025. Onyeka Okongwu also impressed in 2024-25, averaging 13.4 points and 8.9 rebounds per game.
Then, in this offseason, the Hawks acquired Kristaps Porzingis and Nickeil Alexander-Walker via trades and signed Luke Kennard. Asa Newell, their 2025 first-round pick, shone during Summer League as well and could prove to be a quality rotation piece.
There is a lot to like here, but depth and outside shooting would be slight concerns. If the Hawks can address those issues as well, it’s hard to see how anyone in the East would stop them next season.
