How a possible Giannis Antetokounmpo trade benefits Cavs
Yesterday at 12:34 PM
The Milwaukee Bucks were surprising at the start of the season. Despite having Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard on their roster, Milwaukee is stuck at the bottom of the Eastern Conference at 3-8. They’ve been embarrassed by the Cleveland Cavaliers twice now. The Bucks also have been beaten by other Eastern Conference elites besides the Cavs, putting into question how this team will fare this season.
More worryingly than the losses, the Bucks have won only one playoff series since their title run in 2021. Due to this Milwaukee slide, there has been rampant speculation that Antetkounmpo will want out if things continue.
It is shocking to picture Antetkounmpo in any jersey that doesn’t say “Bucks.” Regardless, NBA sources have shared with ClutchPoints that the general feeling is that a clock is ticking in Milwaukee. While things aren’t 90 seconds to midnight, there is a fear that the Bucks will have to bow to another Antetkounmpo demand.
Why the Bucks could end up trading Giannis Antetokounmpo
Throughout his time with the Bucks, the team has spent nearly all their assets to build a contender around Antetokounmpo. Regardless, Milwaukee hasn’t been complacent with its sluggish start, but luxury tax restrictions have prevented the team from making moves.
Unfortunately, the Bucks don’t have much else to work with asset-wise. So, if Antetokounmpo requests a trade, Milwaukee may have no choice but to kickstart a long-term rebuild.
Any team trading for Antetokounmpo will have to break the bank. However, the cost is never questioned for an opposing team acquiring Antetokoumpo. If he’s available, a team will sell the farm to the Bucks to acquire him.
The Oklahoma City Thunder, Brooklyn Nets, Houston Rockets, and San Antonio Spurs are all worth watching in the lead-up to the Antetokounmpo sweepstakes. All four teams have assets and prospects that could land them Antetokounmpo.
Ultimately, it all depends on whether or when Antetokounmpo asks for a trade. But the more they lose, the louder the clock ticking in Milwaukee will be.
Why the Cavs are the biggest winner in a possible Giannis Antekounmpo trade
For a team like the Cavs, the Bucks trading Antetokounmpo would make Cleveland the biggest winner. The Cavs share the same division with the Bucks, opening the path for them to win the Central Division for the first time since the 2017-18 season. More importantly, if Milwaukee tears things down, it will also make things better for Cleveland in the long term.
Between Donovan Mitchell, Darius Garland, Evan Mobley, and Jarrett Allen, the Cavs are locked into what they’ve built. If the Bucks trade Antetokounmpo, they’re heading into an immediate rebuild. Milwaukee closing their contending window opens a door for Cleveland to climb up the Eastern Conference rankings further and, hopefully, a cleaner path to an NBA title.
A rebuilding Bucks would give the Cavs more breathing room in the Eastern Conference. It would allow Cleveland to scrap with the Boston Celtics and New York Knicks for top-dog status. The Cavs are one of the NBA’s younger teams, so a cleaner path to contention would only accelerate their progress.
But this all hinges on whether or not Antetekounmpo wants out of Milwaukee. Until a trade demand comes, anything that could happen remains in limbo. But if Antetkounmpo asks the Bucks for a trade, the team that acquires him isn’t the biggest winner.
Instead, it’s the Cavs.
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