Bucks predicted to cut ties with Giannis Antetokounmpo, acquire aging $110 million Warriors star originally appeared on The Sporting News.
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The Milwaukee Bucks are prepared to move on from Giannis Antetokounmpo after 13 seasons.
With ESPN’S Shams Charania informing the public that the Bucks will seek trade offers for Antetokounmpo, fans should expect contending franchises to craft the most compelling trade packages for the 10-time All-Star.
Antetokounmpo and the Warriors can’t seem to separate from each other in trade rumors, explaining why Bleacher Report’s Eric Pincus believes there’s a legitimate chance the Bucks could send the NBA champion to the Bay for an aging point guard with four championships.
“The Warriors can offer Wisconsin native (Brandin) Podziemski, who is extension eligible this summer; however, (Jimmy) Butler is recovering from a knee injury and is expected to miss the start of the 2026-27 season,” Pincus wrote Tuesday.
At 36, Butler isn’t Milwaukee’s ideal piece to build around, though his expiring $56.8 million contract could be used again in trade.”
“The Bucks’ value lies in the draft compensation, which consists of distant first-round picks, with the hope that Steph Curry and Antetokounmpo are winding down by then. For Golden State to have a real shot, Antetokounmpo would probably need to push extremely hard to make it happen. That would include scaring off other suitors by promising to leave as a free agent in 2027.”
Pincus’ full trade idea would send Butler, Brandin Podziemski, a 2026 1st-rounder, a 2027 first-rounder, a 2030 protected first-rounder, and a 2032 protected first-rounder to the Bucks for Antetokounmpo.
Considering the Warriors aren’t willing to trade Draymond Green, per a report from ESPN’s Anthony Slater, the Bucks will have no choice but to agree to Pincus’ hypothetical deal if they want to conduct business with Golden State this summer.
Butler’s status for next season is in jeopardy following his midseason ACL setback, making him an asset the Bucks likely wouldn’t be smiling ear to ear to acquire.
However, Podziemski is a talented young asset who will continue to improve with age, and Milwaukee would receive the draft capital it needs to set itself up for success in the foreseeable future.
Overall, it would be a solid deal for a Bucks organization looking to start fresh after failing to maximize their title window.
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