{"id":1043,"date":"2025-03-23T15:09:49","date_gmt":"2025-03-23T15:09:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/greekinter.net\/giannis\/?p=1043"},"modified":"2025-03-27T15:05:06","modified_gmt":"2025-03-27T15:05:06","slug":"should-giannis-antetokounmpo-go","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/greekinter.net\/giannis\/2025\/03\/23\/should-giannis-antetokounmpo-go\/","title":{"rendered":"Should Giannis Antetokounmpo go?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The Bucks are at a crossroads. The team\u2019s championship window is closing faster than anyone wants to admit, and trading Giannis\u2014however unthinkable it once seemed\u2014could be the smartest move Milwaukee makes this decade. Here\u2019s why the Bucks should act now.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">1. The Championship Core Is Aging and Declining<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>The Bucks\u2019 2021 title run relied heavily on Giannis, Brook, Khris Middleton, and Jrue Holiday.   Fast forward to 2025, and the supporting cast around Giannis isn\u2019t what it used to be. Middleton and Jrue are gone. The Bucks gambled on Lillard to extend their contention window, but <a href=\"https:\/\/greekinter.net\/giannis\/2025\/02\/26\/dame-is-giannis-third-big-mistake\/\">his fit alongside Giannis has been clunky<\/a> at times, with overlapping skill sets and a lack of perimeter creation beyond Dame\u2019s pull-up game.  I have already written why <a href=\"https:\/\/greekinter.net\/giannis\/2025\/03\/18\/why-bucks-fans-need-to-temper-their-championship-hopes-with-giannis\/\">a championship run for the Bucks is no longer on the cards in details here<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1025\" height=\"417\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/greekinter.net\/giannis\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/image-66.png?resize=1025%2C417&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1050\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/greekinter.net\/giannis\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/image-66.png?w=1025&amp;ssl=1 1025w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/greekinter.net\/giannis\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/image-66.png?resize=300%2C122&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/greekinter.net\/giannis\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/image-66.png?resize=768%2C312&amp;ssl=1 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Giannis, at 30 can\u2019t carry the roster.  He probably never did, more of a regular season try hard than a playoff player.  <strong>In more than a decade he has one and only deep playoff run<\/strong> which was probably an extremely lucky fluke.  The Bucks\u2019 supporting players\u2014like Brook Lopez (37) and Pat Connaughton (32)\u2014are past their peak, and the team lacks the young, athletic talent needed to keep up with the league\u2019s rising powers like Boston, Denver, or Oklahoma City. Trading Giannis now, while his value is sky-high, could net a haul of young players and picks to rebuild around.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">2. The Eastern Conference Is a Gauntlet<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>The East is stacked. The Boston Celtics remain a juggernaut with Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown hitting their primes. The Cleveland Cavaliers are deep and versatile, and teams like the Knicks and Pacers are trending upward.  Everyone is making moves and changing things up because, well, they don&#8217;t have Giannis who is rather difficult to play around.   The Bucks have slipped from their perch atop the conference. Their 2024-25 season has been marred by inconsistent play and a first-round playoff exit last year still stings.  <strong>Trading Giannis will allow the Bucks to retool and avoid years of first-round exits <\/strong>or play-in mediocrity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">3. Giannis\u2019 Trade Value has been falling this year<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Giannis&#8217; contract runs through 2027-28 (with a player option in the final year), giving any acquiring team several years of control. Right now, he\u2019s the kind of asset that could fetch a decent price \u2014think multiple All-Star-level players, a slew of first-round picks, and salary filler. Imagine a package from a team like the Miami Heat (Bam Adebayo, Tyler Herro, and picks).  But his <a href=\"https:\/\/greekinter.net\/giannis\/2025\/03\/20\/giannis-antetokounmpos-trade-value-a-decline-since-the-championship-peak\/\">value is falling fast<\/a>.   Of course<a href=\"https:\/\/greekinter.net\/giannis\/2025\/03\/22\/why-giannis-antetokounmpo-could-never-thrive-with-the-golden-state-warriors\/\"> I don&#8217;t think the Warriors want him<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/greekinter.net\/giannis\/2025\/03\/19\/why-superstars-are-steering-clear-of-giannis-antetokounmpo\/\">most superstars wouldn&#8217;t want to be on a team with Giannis<\/a>.  It also seems as if <a href=\"https:\/\/greekinter.net\/giannis\/2025\/03\/19\/it-aint-doc-rivers-fault-giannis-is-simply-uncoachable\/\">Giannis is uncoachable<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If the Bucks wait too long, injuries or an even bigger dip in performance will further erode his value. The NBA is a business, and cashing in on Giannis ensures Milwaukee maximises their return rather than clinging to a fast fading star.  There have been many instances this year where Giannis has looked really really bad.  <a href=\"https:\/\/greekinter.net\/giannis\/2025\/03\/19\/the-nba-has-figured-out-how-to-stop-giannis-antetokounmpo\/\">Getting shut down easily<\/a> by Draymond Green or Isiah Hertenstein for example.  It feels like most teams now have a defender that can stop Giannis when it counts.  <a href=\"https:\/\/greekinter.net\/giannis\/2025\/03\/23\/giannis-fourth-quarter-stats-embarrassing-again\/\">Bad 4th quarter performances<\/a>, there have been plenty. <a href=\"https:\/\/greekinter.net\/giannis\/2025\/03\/19\/giannis-antetokounmpo-mr-airball\/\">Airballs on national TV<\/a>.  Go through his stats and <a href=\"https:\/\/greekinter.net\/giannis\/2025\/03\/20\/how-much-better-or-worse-is-giannis-than-other-seasons\/\">there is nothing he is doing better than the 2019 season<\/a>, almost everything has headed downhill.  Giannis is <a href=\"https:\/\/greekinter.net\/giannis\/2025\/03\/21\/giannis-antetokounmpo-the-floor-spacing-conundrum\/\">a floor spacing nightmare<\/a> a fact that became very obvious in<a href=\"https:\/\/greekinter.net\/giannis\/2025\/03\/18\/how-coach-spanoulis-used-giannis-antetokounmpo-at-the-olympics-a-tactical-departure-from-the-milwaukee-bucks\/\"> the different way he was used in the Paris Olympics<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">4. The Bucks\u2019 Future Assets Are Depleted<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>The Lillard trade gutted Milwaukee\u2019s draft capital and young talent pool. Giannis demanded it but hadn&#8217;t really thought it through.  They owe picks to Portland and have few prospects to build around. Without fresh blood, the Bucks risk becoming the post-LeBron Cavaliers, teams that clung to past glory too long without making changes. Trading Giannis could replenish their war chest, giving them the flexibility to pivot toward a new era rather than doubling down on a roster that\u2019s running on fumes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A rebuild doesn\u2019t have to mean tanking. With the right trade, Milwaukee could land a young star (like a Chet Holmgren from OKC or an Anthony Edwards from Minnesota, if the stars align) and build a competitive team for the next decade.  If only they had traded him right after winning the championship, they could be in the position of OKC!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">5. Giannis Might Want Out Soon Anyway<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Let\u2019s not ignore the elephant in the room: Giannis\u2019 patience could be wearing thin. He\u2019s been vocal about wanting to win, and after the Bucks\u2019 recent struggles, rumours have swirled about his long-term commitment. In 2023, he hinted at leaving if Milwaukee couldn\u2019t contend, saying, \u201cIf I don\u2019t feel like we\u2019re moving forward, I\u2019m not the type of guy who\u2019s going to stick around.\u201d If Giannis demands a trade in 2026 or walks as a free agent in 2028, the Bucks could get far less\u2014or nothing at all.  I have written that <a href=\"https:\/\/greekinter.net\/giannis\/2025\/01\/27\/no-trade-can-save-the-bucks\/\">no save can save the Bucks <\/a>and i mean it.  There is no fast fix, only long term.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Trading him now lets Milwaukee control the narrative and secure assets, rather than risking a messy divorce later. It\u2019s proactive, not reactive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">6. A Fresh Start Could Benefit Both Sides<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Giannis deserves to chase more rings, and the Bucks deserve a chance to redefine their identity. Sending him to a contender gives him a shot at more hardware. Meanwhile, Milwaukee can shift gears, develop new talent, and avoid the stagnation that plagues small-market teams after their stars fade.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Sure, some will say, \u201cYou don\u2019t trade a top-five player!\u201d And yes, Giannis is the Bucks\u2019 biggest draw\u2014attendance and jersey sales would take a hit. But loyalty can\u2019t trump logic. <strong>The Bucks won\u2019t contend with this roster,<\/strong> and keeping Giannis out of sentimentality risks wasting their future. Others might argue the Bucks should retool around him, but with no picks and an aging core, that\u2019s a pipe dream.  To be honest despite the marketing hype, <strong>Giannis is no longer looking like a top five player<\/strong>.  Maybe a regular season top player but <a href=\"https:\/\/greekinter.net\/giannis\/2025\/02\/03\/giannis-cant-do-clutch\/\">he can&#8217;t do clutch and that matters <\/a>when you are chasing rings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Trading Giannis Antetokounmpo would be gut-wrenching for Bucks fans. He\u2019s the greatest player in franchise history, a homegrown legend who was part of a title to a city that hadn\u2019t won one in 50 years. But the NBA moves fast, and clinging to the past rarely works. By trading him now\u2014on March 23, 2025, or as soon as the market heats up\u2014the Bucks can secure their future, avoid a slow decline, and give Giannis a chance to keep winning elsewhere. It\u2019s not about giving up; it\u2019s about being smart. The time to act is now.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p><em>I don&#8217;t actually think the Bucks will trade him.  They can&#8217;t get much for him at all anymore.   Giannis will prefer to stay and continue the narrative of the rest of the roster being to blame for everything.  He will stat pad furiously and break every franchise record, pretend he was being loyal, whereas in fact he is just plain chicken, scared that he will fail wherever else he goes after all the talk about &#8220;not joining a superteam&#8221; and &#8220;doing it the right way&#8221;.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Bucks are at a crossroads. The team\u2019s championship window is closing faster than anyone wants to admit, and trading Giannis\u2014however unthinkable it once seemed\u2014could be the smartest move Milwaukee makes this decade. Here\u2019s why the Bucks should act now. 1. The Championship Core Is Aging and Declining The Bucks\u2019 2021 title run relied heavily [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1118,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[6],"tags":[290,56,288,289,272,291,128],"class_list":["post-1043","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-team","tag-change","tag-giannis","tag-go","tag-leave","tag-roster","tag-teams","tag-trade"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/greekinter.net\/giannis\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Giannis-leaving-the-Bucks-1.jpg?fit=1024%2C1024&ssl=1","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/greekinter.net\/giannis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1043","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/greekinter.net\/giannis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/greekinter.net\/giannis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/greekinter.net\/giannis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/greekinter.net\/giannis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1043"}],"version-history":[{"count":14,"href":"https:\/\/greekinter.net\/giannis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1043\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1060,"href":"https:\/\/greekinter.net\/giannis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1043\/revisions\/1060"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/greekinter.net\/giannis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1118"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/greekinter.net\/giannis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1043"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/greekinter.net\/giannis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1043"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/greekinter.net\/giannis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1043"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}