Giannis Antetokounmpo’s future could hinge on the Bucks accepting a tank
There were trade rumors swirling around the Milwaukee Bucks in recent weeks regarding superstar Giannis Antetokounmpowhich continued only after the star’s last injury. The Bucks, meanwhile, have fallen freely in the Eastern Conference standings, and their chances of making the playoffs look dubious at best.
Recently, ESPN’s Tim Bontemps visited the Hoop Collective podcast to explain just how much losing could be in the Bucks’ best interest this season, even when it comes to their chances to be convinced Antetokounmpo to keep long-term.
“If you want to build a path for the Bucks to be able to convince Giannis that this is a place he can win long-term, that’s what it is. He’s basically out for the rest of the season. They’re already, like you said, eighth in the lottery, they can fall pretty quickly, pretty far down that lottery list with the best roster in the draft, I think they’re eligible to be on the roster or around.” said Bontemps.
Here, the Bucks would be hoping to secure star-level talent in the 2026 NBA Draft, of which there appears to be plenty, and then match that player on a cheap deal with Antetokounmpo next season.
The problem is that the Bucks don’t have control over their 2026 first-round pick, but they will choose less than their pick or the New Orleans Pelicans, meaning he still has a good chance of being very valuable.
At this point, any chance of the Bucks making a winning move at the trade deadline seems lost, but the “tank for a new star” angle is interesting, and it would be interesting to see how it plays out for Antetokounmpo.
Either way, the Bucks will next take the floor on Tuesday night against the Philadelphia 76ers.
2026-01-26 18:08:00
