The never-ending saga between the Milwaukee Bucks and Giannis Antetokounmpo has inched closer to a conclusion. Considering ESPN’s recent report earlier this month that both sides have talked about their long-term future together, a divorce could soon be on the way.
Antetokounmpo sustained a calf strain that will knock him out for a few weeks. Sitting below .500 with an uninspiring roster, it feels inevitable that the Bucks will move the two-time MVP winner sooner or later.
How that manifests is the real question. Could Antetkounmpo be moved before the trade deadline? That type of seismic move will have a ripple effect on the rest of the NBA. Anytime a top-five player is moved, the title odds severely shift across the board.
Or will the Bucks wait until the offseason? That would give them more time to weigh their options. Antetokounmpo has the type of monster salary where it’s easier to make the books match in the summer, anyway. A mid-season move could be too messy.
We’ll see what happens. Either way, don’t count on the Oklahoma City Thunder to go after Antetokounmpo. NBA insider Marc Stein recently reported that the reigning NBA champion isn’t expected to completely shake up its roster to add another top-five player alongside Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
“There is a growing belief among trade-trackers that San Antonio and Houston, like Oklahoma City, do not plan to join the chase for Antetokounmpo even if the Bucks ultimately do decide to consider in-season proposals for their two-time MVP,” Stein wrote. “All three of those teams, as you can imagine, like what they have going.”
That makes sense. The Thunder had one of the greatest seasons last year. They won a franchise-best 68 regular-season wins on their way to an NBA championship. Running it back with the same roster, they’re off to an even better start that has folks wondering if they could reach 70 wins and go back-to-back.
To completely change the dynamics of that for Antetokounmpo is incredibly risky. Especially since it’ll likely cost one of Jalen Williams or Chet Holmgren. It’s tantalizing on paper, for sure. But the Thunder are already the NBA’s best team and look primed to win a second Larry O’Brien trophy.