Rumors have been swirling around Giannis Antetokounmpo for quite some time, with many expecting he could have been moved this past offseason. The two sides opted to give it another run, but that run is off to anything but a clean start. The Bucks are 9–13 through their first 22 games, currently sitting outside the play-in tournament and dangerously close to the conversation for a top pick in the draft.
Antetokounmpo has never shied away from expressing his loyalty to Milwaukee. He could have forced their hand this offseason, especially with Damian Lillard’s injury and the Bucks facing an uphill battle to build a contender around him. But the picture has never been clearer: Milwaukee is Giannis surrounded by a roster full of spare parts — and they have no real avenues to improve. They don’t own their own upcoming first-round picks, and their cap sheet is one of the tightest in the league.
A Giannis Antetokounmpo trade feels inevitable at some point, and the Atlanta Hawks make a lot of sense as a suitor because of everything they could offer — a scenario Bill Simmons recently outlined in a hypothetical blockbuster.
The Hawks Trade For Giannis Antetokounmpo
Hawks Get: Giannis Antetokounmpo and Kyle Kuzma
Bucks Get: Trae Young, Kristaps Porzingis, 2026 first-round pick (better of Bucks or Pelicans), three more first-round picks
Now, some Hawks fans might see this and take a step back. Trae Young has been the face of the franchise for the last half-decade and remains one of the league’s best point guards. The 2026 first-round pick is also very likely to land inside the top five — if not first overall — and in this hypothetical, the Hawks would be sending out three additional first-rounders while also absorbing bad money in Kyle Kuzma.
It’s admittedly a lot. But in this scenario, Atlanta is landing a top-five player in the NBA without touching the exciting young core that has led them to 12 wins in their last 18 games.
The reality is Trae Young’s future in Atlanta is already cloudy at best. If he returns and doesn’t help propel the Hawks to a deep playoff run, it’s very likely the team moves on at season’s end. Kristaps Porzingis is on an expiring contract as well. When you strip all that down, the Hawks would essentially be trading a handful of picks for Giannis Antetokounmpo — a generational superstar who immediately elevates the franchise’s ceiling.
I’m not sure there’s a world where Atlanta could say no to a trade like that. If the Hawks can assemble a package for Giannis that doesn’t include Jalen Johnson, Dyson Daniels, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, or Onyeka Okongwu, it’s hard to imagine them hesitating to pull the trigger.
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