Throughout Giannis Antetokounmpo‘s career, the Milwaukee Bucks have shown a willingness to acquire assets that will keep the star forward happy and able to compete for championships. From getting Jrue Holiday to Damian Lillard, anytime the roster has needed bolstering, the Bucks have complied.
How The Bucks Have Kept Giannis Happy
In one of the most shocking off-season moves in recent memory, the Milwaukee Bucks have traded for Damian Lillard in a three-team deal between themselves, the Phoenix Suns, and the Portland Trail Blazers. The trade has Lillard going to the Bucks, Jrue Holiday, Deandre Ayton, Toumani Camara, a 2029 unprotected Milwaukee first, and two first-round pick swaps going to the Blazers. The Suns acquired Jusuf Nurkic, Grayson Allen, Nassir Little, and Keon Johnson in the deal.
The Bucks were able to pull off a fantastic deal, as they gave up very little for someone who fits perfectly with Giannis. The loss of Holiday is made up for by gaining Lillard. The perennial All-Star can be the focal point of an entire offense. Grayson Allen’s shooting ability could be made up for by Malik Beasley, someone who is a career 38% three-point shooter on six attempts a game. Finally, the first-round picks should not be a factor. Barring injuries, this team should be a championship contender for the next few years.
Taking the Initiative
This was a master stroke by the Bucks front office. They have once again brought in reinforcements for their team to make sure Giannis is happy. Back in 2020, the pressure was on for the Bucks to surround Giannis with a solid team. They had just lost Malcolm Brogdon in free agency due to not paying the guard enough money for his liking. This led to grumbles about Giannis potentially jumping ship if the Bucks were going to rest on their laurels. Instead, the Bucks did the smart thing and traded for Jrue Holiday to fill in much-needed gaps in the team. This quieted a lot of rumors, and the Bucks went on to win the championship in 2021. However, a combination of bad injury luck and tougher competition halted any chances of making another run in the 2021-2022 and 2022-2023 seasons.
Earlier this off-season, Giannis made it clear that while he loves Milwaukee, he wants to win. This started yet another rumor mill that the Bucks shut down a few weeks later by trading for Lillard. Anytime that Giannis has implied jumping ship, the Bucks have responded with an urgency that should be applauded. The front office is intent on not repeating mistakes others have when it comes to managing superstars.
Not Another LeBron
A hyper-athletic two-way forward in a small market needs reinforcements to make a deep playoff run. Sound familiar? While Giannis and LeBron James were in eerily similar situations, the front offices of their respective teams acted in completely different ways. The Bucks have always been willing to freshen up their roster to compete. The Cavs were content to rely on James’s prodigious talents year after year. When the Cavs had a chance to trade for star big man Amare Stoudemire, they faltered because they weren’t willing to part with J.J Hickson, who at the time was seen as a young player with good potential.
The Cavs’ lack of urgency lost them the best player of a generation. Urgency is in no short supply for the Bucks. Ever since Giannis ascended to superstardom, they have been willing to surround the big man with a surplus of talent. The Bucks have laid the blueprint for how you should act when you have a generational talent on your team. Now, they are in a position to compete for championships for years to come.
