The trade deadline isn’t exactly close, but the action may be starting early. Shams Charania reported for ESPN yesterday that Giannis Antetokounmpo will meet with the Bucks to discuss his future.
“Giannis Antetokounmpo and his agent, Alex Saratsis, are having conversations with the Milwaukee Bucks about the two-time NBA MVP’s future — and discussing whether his best fit is staying or a move elsewhere, sources told ESPN on Wednesday,” Charania writes.
Every team should have some level of interest in a player who is undoubtedly a top-five talent in the NBA, and most of the trade chatter will naturally gravitate toward the big wigs — like the Knicks, Lakers, and Warriors. However, the Hawks have several factors that should genuinely intrigue the Bucks, namely their first-round picks in 2026 and 2027.
“The Hawks have the unique ability to help Milwaukee regain its own picks as part of a post-Giannis rebuild,” Kevin Pelton writes for ESPN. “Technically, Atlanta controls only shares of picks from the Bucks and New Orleans Pelicans, who got them in the Jrue Holiday trade five years ago. However, the better of their two picks in 2026 could very well land in the top five and even the lesser of their 2027 selections should be solid.”
The Hawks also have a wealth of young talent they could include in a package, along with several additional first-round picks. About the only player who should be considered off-limits in talks for Giannis Antetokounmpo is Jalen Johnson, who’s proving to be a superstar in his own right in just his fourth season. The goal would be to pair the two together and surround them with enough pieces to win the East — a vision that isn’t tough to picture if Atlanta can actually pull this off.
ESPN’s Hawks Trade For Giannis Antetokounmpo
Atlanta Hawks Get:
Milwaukee Bucks Get:
Trae Young
Zaccharie Risacher
2026 first-round pick (more favorable NO or MIL)
2027 first-round pick (top-four protected, least favorable NO or MIL)
2029 first-round pick (top-four protected 2029 to 2031, unprotected in 2032 if not conveyed)
2031 first-round pick (top-four protected in 2031 if eligible, otherwise unprotected in 2032)
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This isn’t all that different from the hypothetical trade Bill Simmons floated between the Hawks and Bucks for Giannis Antetokounmpo. The Pelicans handed Atlanta a blessing when they gifted them an unprotected 2026 first-round pick — a selection that now looks almost certain to land inside the top five. The 2027 first-round pick could be just as valuable, with both the Pelicans and Bucks showing little reason for optimism moving forward.
Trading Trae Young would be an unfortunate ending to his time in Atlanta. He’s never truly been given a fair shake with the roster around him since the Hawks’ run to the Eastern Conference Finals back in 2021. But for Giannis Antetokounmpo, Atlanta GM Onsi Saleh wouldn’t think twice about including the star point guard in the deal.
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