After seven games, the Milwaukee Bucks have the same record as the Utah Jazz. While the latter are officially tanking, the Bucks were considered a contender. With every game they lose, rumors surrounding Giannis Antetokounmpo‘s future grow louder.
There will be plenty of suitors for Giannis’s services, with some teams already rumored to be in the mix, like the Houston Rockets. But if the Bucks decide to pull the plug and go into rebuilding mode, their best option is the New Orleans Pelicans.
The Bucks Should Trade Giannis to the Pelicans
Why Should the Bucks Trade Giannis to the Pelicans?
Back in 2020, the Milwaukee Bucks were in a four-team deal that involved them trading a package of three first-round picks, Eric Bledsoe, and George Hill to get the services of Jrue Holiday from the Pelicans. It turned out great for them, as they won the title in 2021. Now, they would gladly get those picks back.
The Pelicans have Milwaukee’s unprotected picks in 2025 and 2027 and swap rights in 2026. Looking at the talent of the 2025 and 2026 draft class, it could be not a matter of if, but when the Bucks trade Giannis.
Why Would the Pelicans Do It?
The New Orleans Pelicans are in the midst of their own panic season, as they are battling injuries to great rotational players like Trey Murphy III and Herb Jones. They are second to last in the stacked Western Conference, with a 3-5 record.
During the summer, the Pelicans were trying to trade Brandon Ingram for some more help. They didn’t manage to do that, and it will be hard to trade him for Giannis. The Bucks would almost certainly want some young players if they are going for a rebuild.
For the Pelicans, it would be a chance to get Giannis, keep a core of Zion Williamson, C.J. McCollum, and Dejounte Murray when he comes back. That is not a bad core, but they lack shooting. With a Giannis trade, they will be without spacing, but with one of the top five players in the league right now. If they can find an Ingram trade for some shooting, they will be set.
Possible Trade Package for Giannis
If the Pelicans decide to pull the trigger on a Giannis trade, the package will have to start with one, or two, of their young players including Trey Murphy III, Jordan Hawkins, and Yves Missi. The good news is that Hawkins and Missi have started the season strong, and they are intriguing pieces. But the big prize would be giving Milwaukee some of their own picks, mainly the 2025 and the 2026 swap rights.
If the trade goes through, the Bucks can focus on the 2025 draft class, where there is plenty of talent to go around. For the Bucks, now might be the best time to pull the plug on Giannis. They had a seven-year window to compete with the Greek Freak. During that period, they won a title, and if injuries didn’t prevent them, they might have made another Finals or two.
