The Bucks’ biggest mistake at the 2026 NBA trade deadline after keeping Giannis

in 2026 NBA trade deadline came and went, and The Milwaukee Bucks finally exhaled. After months of feverish speculation, “The Greek Freak” remains in place. Giannis Antetokounmpo effectively silenced the noise, at least for now, with one social media post, sharing the iconic “I’m Not Leaving” scene from The Wolf of Wall Street and stating that “Legends don’t rush. They attract.“

It was a moment of euphoria for the Bucks faithful. But now that the dust has settled on East State Street, a harsh reality is emerging. The franchise was able to keep their superstar, but they failed to do the one thing that would have made his decision worthwhile: they didn’t fix the team around him.

The Bucks’ biggest mistake did not retain Giannis at the 2026 NBA trade deadline; it was a puzzling decision to trade Cole Anthony and Amir Coffey for a package of Usman Dieng, Nick Richards and Nigel Hayes-Davies.

Cole Anthony’s Confusion

Let’s break the deal. To get Dieng and Richards, The Bucks sent Cole Anthony. While Anthony isn’t an All-Star, he’s been one of the few reliable sparks off the Milwaukee bench this season. He provided ball handling, shot creation and the ability to run the offense when Antetokounmpo or Damian Lillard were sitting.

Trading him for Dieng is the definition of a timeline mismatch. Dieng, a former member of the Oklahoma City Thunder, is a 22-year-old developmental project. He has length and potential, but hasn’t proven he can contribute to a rotation in the playoffs. If the Bucks were rebuilding, taking a flyer on Dieng makes sense. But they are not renewing, they just confirmed their marriage with the 31-year-old superstar who now wants to win.

By trading a proven shooter in the rotation for developmental wing and big backup Richards, who is serviceable but redundant if Bobby Portis is healthy, the Bucks effectively lowered their ceiling for the 2025-26 season. They were getting younger, yes, but they were also getting worse in the immediate future. When you have a top-five player in his prime, you don’t make moves for 2028; you’re making moves for april.

The Bucks could add Ayo Dosunma

The sting of the Anthony trade is made worse by looking at who else was on the market that the Bucks didn’t get. While Milwaukee was busy acquiring projects, the Minnesota Timberwolves were aggressive, landing Aio Dosunmu from the Chicago Bulls.

This is the move Milwaukee should have made.

Dosunmu is exactly the archetype the Bucks have been crying out for: a sharp, athletic defender who can move around screens, harass ball handlers and hit open 3s. He’s the antidote to the breakdowns on the perimeter that have plagued the Bucks’ defense for two seasons. The Timberwolves got him by packing young assets – Rob Dillingham, Leonard Miller – and a second-round pick.

Did the Bucks have the wherewithal to beat Minnesota? Maybe, maybe not. But they had Anthony. They had their young pieces. They had capital for 2031. The mistake wasn’t just losing Anthony; he failed to turn him into a player like Dosunmu, who actually moves the needle. Instead of improving their perimeter defense, they watched their direct competitor in the West get tougher while they became more “experimental.”

The Bucks are stuck in the middle