{"id":105352,"date":"2024-11-06T08:37:02","date_gmt":"2024-11-06T13:37:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/?p=105352"},"modified":"2024-11-06T08:42:35","modified_gmt":"2024-11-06T13:42:35","slug":"bucks-trade-giannis","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2024\/11\/06\/bucks-trade-giannis\/","title":{"rendered":"The Bucks Should Trade Giannis to the Pelicans"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">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 <a  href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/a\/antetgi01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Giannis Antetokounmpo<\/a><\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">&#8216;s<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> future grow louder.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">There will be plenty of suitors for <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Giannis&#8217;s<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> services, with some <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2024\/11\/04\/knicks-towns-trade-get-antetokounmpo\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_self\">teams<\/a> already rumored to be in the mix, like the <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2024\/11\/04\/nba-rumors-rockets-eye-giannis-antetokounmpo-trade\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_self\">Houston Rockets<\/a>. But if the Bucks decide to pull the plug and go into rebuilding mode, their best option is the New Orleans Pelicans.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2>The Bucks Should Trade Giannis to the Pelicans<\/h2>\n<h3><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Why Should the Bucks Trade Giannis to the Pelicans?<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Back in 2020, the Milwaukee Bucks were in a four-team deal that involved them trading a package of three first-round picks, <a  href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/b\/bledser01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Eric Bledsoe<\/a><\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">,<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/h\/hillge01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">George Hill <\/a><\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">to<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> get the services of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/h\/holidjr01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Jrue Holiday<\/a> from the Pelicans. It <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">turned out great for them, as they won the title in 2021. Now, they would gladly get those picks back.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">The Pelicans have Milwaukee\u2019s unprotected <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">picks in 2025 and 2027 and swap rights in 2026. <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">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.<br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Why Would the Pelicans Do It?<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">The New Orleans Pelicans are in the midst of their own panic season, <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">as they are<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> battling injuries to great rotational players like <a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/m\/murphtr02.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Trey Murphy III<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/j\/joneshe01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Herb Jones<\/a>.<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> They are second to last in the stacked Western Conference, with a 3-5 record.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">During the summer, the Pelicans <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">were trying<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> to trade <a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/i\/ingrabr01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Brandon Ingram<\/a> for <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">some<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> more help.<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> They <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">didn\u2019t<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> 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.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">For the Pelicans, it would be a chance to get Giannis<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">, <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">keep a <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2024\/10\/02\/pelicans-starting-lineup-plans-require-zion-williamson-change\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_self\">core<\/a> of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/w\/willizi01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Zion Williamson<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/m\/mccolcj01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">C.J. McCollum<\/a>, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/m\/murrade01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Dejounte Murray<\/a> when he comes <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2024\/10\/24\/pelicans-dejounte-murray-injury-news-exposes-depth-concerns\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_self\">back<\/a>. That is not a bad core, but they lack shooting. With a Giannis trade, they will be without spacing<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">, <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">but with one of the top<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> five <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">players in the league right now.<\/span> <span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">If<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> they can find an Ingram trade for some shooting<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">, they will <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">be set<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Possible Trade Package for Giannis<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">If the Pelicans decide to pull the trigger on a Giannis trade, the package will have to start with one<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">, <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">or two, of their young players including Trey Murphy III, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/h\/hawkijo01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Jordan Hawkins<\/a>, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/m\/missiyv01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Yves Missi<\/a>. 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 <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">the<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> 2026 swap rights.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">If the trade goes through, the Bucks can focus on the 2025 draft class, where <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">there is plenty of talent to go around<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">.<\/span> <span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">For the Bucks,<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> now might be the best time to pull the plug on Giannis.<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> They had a seven-year window to compete with the Greek Freak. During that period, they won a title, and if injuries <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">didn\u2019t<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> prevent them, they might have made another Finals or two.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>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&#8216;s future grow louder. There will be plenty of suitors for Giannis&#8217;s services, with some teams already rumored to be in [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5291,"featured_media":105394,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"no","_lmt_disable":"","sfio_featured_image":false,"sfio_embed_code":"","_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1608,15,62,33,4721],"tags":[308,48964,306,4756,239,4382,49284,1684],"class_list":["post-105352","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-basketball","category-bucks","category-nba","category-pelicans","category-trade-rumors","tag-brandon-ingram","tag-cooper-flagg","tag-giannis-antetokounmpo","tag-jordan-hawkins","tag-jrue-holiday","tag-trey-murphy-iii","tag-yves-missi","tag-zion-williamson"],"modified_by":"Kenny Kluska","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/105352","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5291"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=105352"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/105352\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/105394"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=105352"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=105352"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=105352"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}