The NBA ecosystem buzzes, hums and thrives on the prospect of stars changing teams.
So it’s not a surprise that Milwaukee Bucks All-NBA forward Giannis Antetokounmpo is the focal point of the NBA’s transaction machine following the Bucks’ first-round loss to the Indiana Pacers.
“With Lillard’s torn Achilles, Bucks must trade Giannis to rebuild for future,” blared the headline in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
Yes, there is logic to trading a superstar for draft capital while he still has that kind of value – and trust us here, if the Bucks go in that direction, they will get more in return than Dallas did in the Luka Doncic trade.
But it’s not imperative that the Bucks trade him.
Yes, Damian Lillard’s absence for most, if not all, of next season as he recovers from the torn Achilles tendon sustained in the Pacers series impacts Milwaukee’s future, too. And Antetokounmpo is under contract through 2027-28 but has a player option to become a free agent in the summer of 2027.
He keeps a team competitive and puts fans in the arena – ownership likes both of those things – and in today’s NBA, a team with Antetokounmpo is a move or two away from contention.
Worth noting: It’s not simple trading a contract that has an annual salary $54.1 million for 2025-26.
If the Bucks decide to trade Antetokounmpo – and we don’t believe that’s on the table right now despite that chatter – here are potential landing spots for the two-time MVP, NBA champion and 2021 Finals MVP:
Miami Heat
Heat president Pat Riley loves stars. He loves his role players, too, but he knows you need all-time greats to win titles. Whether with the Los Angeles Lakers, New York Knicks or Miami Heat, Riley wants those players. Now, a little shine has worn off the Heat with the Jimmy Butler debacle and awful first-round series loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers. The Heat have some first-round picks but probably not enough assets to be a real player here.
Oklahoma City Thunder
The Thunder have draft capital – approximately 10 first rounders in the next six drafts – so that leaves the Thunder with options to make an upgrade like adding Antetokounmpo. However, if you’ve followed what Oklahoma City has done, it has made improvements on the edges around a talented roster, and if they win a title this season, why would they disrupt all that?
Houston Rockets
The Rockets won 52 games this season with a young core plus solid veterans. But they’re not quite at Oklahoma City’s level, and it makes sense for the Rockets to seek an All-Star. If the Rockets don’t advance out of the first round, the push to make that kind of move may get stronger. If Antetokounmpo isn’t available, the Rockets could easily look at a deal with Phoenix for Kevin Durant.
New York Knicks
The Knicks have improved the roster – Jalen Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns, OG Anunoby, Mikal Bridges and Josh Hart. But there’s no indication the Knicks are any closer to a title this season than last season when they didn’t have Towns and Bridges.
Brooklyn Nets
The Nets have chased starts before (Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, Kevin Durant, James Harden, Kyrie Irving) but never found they success they sought. That doesn’t mean they won’t keep trying. The Nets have draft capital, including four first-round picks in the 2025 draft and at least two first-round picks in 2027.
Golden State Warriors
Antetokounmpo alongside Steph Curry is intriguing for a franchise determined to make another championship push with Curry and Draymond Green before time expires on a championship window. It seem Jimmy Butler would have to be part of that deal, along with first-round picks and other players on the roster.