The Giannis Antetokounmpo portion of the deadline is basically over. ESPN’s Shams Charania reported the Bucks have told teams they are keeping Antetokounmpo through the deadline and that he will remain with the franchise at least through the end of the season.
That clarifies the mission in the final hours: this is not about blowing it up, it’s about upgrading around the margins without touching the centerpiece.
They’ve already started. The Bucks agreed to a deal sending Cole Anthony and Amir Coffey to the Suns for center Nick Richards and Nigel Hayes-Davis, also per Charania. Nick Richards is a real rotation five, and this reads like the Bucks trying to patch the frontcourt and steady the nightly floor while keeping the rest of the roster intact.
With Antetokounmpo staying put and the first move already made, the rest of the deadline becomes simple: add more firepower that fits next to him, without creating new problems on defense.
The Bucks Chase A Shot-Creator With DeMar DeRozan
Milwaukee Bucks Receive: DeMar DeRozan
Sacramento Kings Receive: Kyle Kuzma
This is the cleanest “add offense without breaking the structure” swing the Bucks can make in the final hours. They are sitting 12th in the East at 20-29, and that’s the whole point: if Giannis Antetokounmpo is staying put, the Bucks need another bankable halfcourt option for the games where the spacing gets tight, and the first action dies.
DeMar DeRozan still profiles like that kind of plug-and-play scorer. He’s at 19.2 points and 3.9 assists on 50.6% from the field this season, which is exactly the “get a good shot when the possession is ugly” skill the Bucks have lacked in too many fourth quarters. Contract-wise, he’s also matching Kuzma’s deal at $24.5 million for 2025-26.
For the Kings, this is basically admitting the season is already gone and pivoting to a different timeline. They’re 12-40 and dead last in the West. Kyle Kuzma gives them a younger forward contract with multiple years of control, plus a player who can carry volume without needing a guard to spoon-feed him.
Kuzma’s at about 13.0 points, 5.0 rebounds, 2.6 assists on roughly 49.2% shooting this season, and his 2025-26 salary sits around $21.4 million. With this deal, the Kings eventually gain something out of DeRozan, as rumors were piling up about a buyout if he wasn’t traded after the deadline.
From the Bucks’ side, the basketball case is simple: DeRozan is a pressure-release valve. He doesn’t solve every spacing issue, but he gives them a possession-finisher who can live in the midrange, draw fouls, and prevent the offense from turning into “Giannis or nothing” when the game slows down.
A Sneaky Buy Low On Jaden Ivey From The Bulls
Milwaukee Bucks Receive: Jaden Ivey
Chicago Bulls Receive: Bobby Portis, 2032 first-round pick
This one is less about name value and more about roster math on both sides. For the Bucks, it’s an upside guard bet that fits the deadline theme: add more creation and pace without touching the core. Jaden Ivey’s current role has been smaller this season, but he’s still young, still explosive, and still the kind of player who can swing a playoff series if he hits a two-week hot stretch. He’s averaging 8.2 points, 2.2 rebounds, and 1.6 assists on 45.0% from the field.
The contract story is the hook. Ivey is on his rookie-scale deal (four years, $32.9 million, at $10.1 million this season), and he’s lined up to be a restricted free agent in the 2026 offseason unless an extension changes that path. That’s why this is a “Bucks move”: you’re acquiring a young guard with team control and leverage, not a pure rental.
For the Bulls, this deal can become huge. They already just brought Ivey in from the Pistons a couple of days ago, and the Bulls have been very active reshaping the roster this week. But their rotation has been guard-heavy, and they’re operating without real size after moving Nikola Vucevic out. Their record is 24-27, and the roster construction is begging for frontcourt help and tradable contracts that aren’t duplicates of what they already have.
Currently, they have Josh Giddey, Collin Sexton, Jaden Ivey, Anfernee Simons, Rob Dillingham, and barely a few bodies over 6’10” in the rotation. They are in desperate need of another big man.
Bobby Portis is exactly that kind of piece. He’s giving 13.2 points and 6.7 rebounds on 48.2% shooting this season, and he’s on a multi-year contract ($13.45 million in 2025-26 on a three-year deal).
If you’re the Bulls, Portis immediately plugs a frontcourt hole and gives you a veteran you can keep or flip later. The 2032 first-round pick is the real prize: that’s the kind of far-out asset that can age into real value, especially when the Bucks are primed for a Giannis trade in the offseason.
Final Thoughts
If the Bucks are serious about maximizing the Giannis Antetokounmpo short window, these two ideas show two different ways to play the final hours: stabilize the halfcourt offense immediately, or add younger upside without sacrificing the season.
The DeMar DeRozan concept is the cleanest floor-raiser. It gives the Bucks a real late-clock option when the first action dies, and the possession turns into “somebody make something.” I like the fit next to Antetokounmpo because DeRozan can manufacture points without perfect spacing and keep the offense functional when teams load the paint. Still, moving Kyle Kuzma for a midrange-heavy scorer also invites the same postseason question every DeRozan team faces: can the offense scale when defenses shrink the floor and live with tough twos?
The Jaden Ivey idea is the one I’d prioritize if the cost stays reasonable. This is a bet on pace, rim pressure, and age curve. Ivey’s best value to the Bucks is giving them a guard who can actually bend the defense downhill, not just dribble into a jumper. The restricted free agency matters: you’re not renting him, you’re buying a controllable asset with upside, which is exactly what teams should chase when they’re trying to thread the needle between winning now and staying viable later.
If the Bucks can only land one, my opinion is simple: DeRozan makes them harder to defend tonight, but Ivey gives them a path to getting better over time, especially if Antetokounmpo eventually leaves in the summer, as is widely expected given his trade saga until today. I’d rather swing on the move that can raise the ceiling when my superstar leaves, signaling the start of a rebuild, not just patch the present.
