Acknowledging the 6’11” Greek elephant in the room that may or may not be addressed this week, with just over three days remaining until the 2026 NBA trade deadline, Bucks GM Jon Horst has other decisions to make up and down the roster. Before Giannis’ most recent calf injury, we were operating under the assumption that the Bucks would be buyers, putting together a series of trade targets. They still might buy, despite the attractive path of tanking for a higher first-round pick in the 2026 NBA draft.
There’s even a way you can do both: look at the Raptors this time a year ago. They acquired an injured Brandon Ingram—their current leading scorer—last February at 16-36, then picked ninth last June. Now they’re tied for fourth in the East.
So if Giannis remains a Buck moving forward, what does Horst have to work with? How can he get the Bucks back to relevance next season? Let’s take stock of what’s in his cupboard, which—unlike what national sources continue to say—is far from bare. One note: AJ Green is ineligible to be traded this season because he signed an extension on October 17, and no player may be dealt within six months of extending.
1–2. 2031–32 first-round picks
If Giannis remains in Milwaukee, these draft picks would be made when he is 36 and 37. Even if he doesn’t, it looks doubtful they’ll be contenders then. Put simply, these are two of the most valuable future firsts any team can trade, and as such, two of the most valuable assets in the league. Perhaps partially for that reason, Horst has reportedly been loath to include them in any trade and would only do so in a trade for a bona fide star. Whether that type of player is available at this deadline is debatable, but I tend to think there is not, outside of Brooklyn’s Michael Porter Jr.
3. Ryan Rollins
Probably the only silver lining to this disappointing season has been Rollins’ development. While he cooled off a bit in mid-January, the 23-year-old is now back on track and likely to receive some Most Improved Player votes. The three-year, $12m contract he signed last offseason is very team-friendly for 16.5 PPG, 5.5 APG, 4.6 RPG, and 1.6 SPG on .466/.403/.755 shooting. That final year is a player option, and if this keeps up, he’ll opt out and hope to secure a much larger deal in free agency, if an extension doesn’t occur first. The only downside is that his lower salary doesn’t allow much in the way of salary matching. But make no mistake, he’s the Bucks’ best young guy, and an offer for any All-NBA type of player would probably have to include him.
4–5. 2031–32 first-round pick swaps
If either first in those years is traded, the only way the Bucks could deal the other would be as a swap, where the acquiring team could move up to the Bucks’ position if they so choose. Depending on how good that team feels they’ll be in those seasons, a swap could bump them up into the lottery or higher, so there’s plenty of appeal here.
6. Bobby Portis
Portis ranks sixth leaguewide in three-point percentage, and his other numbers are largely in line with recent seasons. He turns 31 on February 10 and is in the first season of a three-year, $43.6m contract, which also has a player option in 2027–28. It might be too early to tell if he’ll pick up the final year at $15.6m, but it wouldn’t be wrong to treat him as a $14.5m expiring salary next year. All in all, a good salary-matching piece and a player who would help a lot of contenders with scoring punch off their bench. On his own, he would probably fetch a couple second-rounders.
7. Kevin Porter Jr.
Out indefinitely with an oblique injury, KPJ was trending down big time before getting hurt. But prior to that, he was putting together a solid season, averaging over seven assists per game with decent—if inefficient—scoring, despite occasional turnover problems. He can opt out of the $5.4m remaining on his two-year, $10.5m contract and, even with an injury-marred campaign, probably will in hopes of a multi-year contract. The Bucks, or any acquiring team, will have his Early Bird rights, which means they can offer him a new deal of up to four years with a starting salary of up to $14.6m. That flexibility for a 25-year-old point guard who proved this past year he still belongs in the NBA could be attractive to some teams.
8. Myles Turner
While Turner is obviously the best player mentioned in this list so far, being in the first year of a four-year deal tamps down his value. Yes, his $25.3m salary would be great for matching, but he’ll have two further years plus a $29.1m player option in 2028–29. He’s still 29, and though his stats are closer to his pre-Tyrese Haliburton campaigns in Indy, it’s still a reasonable price for a quality starting center. I just think teams would rather not have that long-term money on their books.
9. Kyle Kuzma
Kuzma becomes an expiring salary next year without sort of option, but his salary drops from $22.4m now to $20.3m in 2026–27. More commensurate with his level of production and cheaper, which would be more palatable for a new team, but less helpful for salary-matching. By himself, Kuz would need draft assets attached to be moved, but combined with Portis, they could bring back up to $45.1m in return. After July, that figure drops to $43.8m.
10. Gary Harris
None of us expected Harris to be the better Gary this season, but here we are. He’s 31 and has a $3.8m player option next year, which is about $85k less than he’d make on a new minimum contract, so he might opt out. He and Trent both make about the same amount—$3.6m could come in handy, and he’d be a quality piece on a contender’s bench. Seems more likely to be a throw-in than someone who would get value on his own. Maybe a future second or a borderline NBA player.
11. Gary Trent Jr.
After a very effective first year in Milwaukee, GTJ’s next contract last summer seemed to be setting him up for a more lucrative, multiyear deal this summer. Trent will also have Early Bird rights come July if he declines his $3.9m player option, so another team could give him the same contract terms we laid out for KPJ, just as the Bucks could. But Trent has taken a sizeable step back in year two, and a vet minimum deal in free agency—if he opts out—would be about $300k less than that option, and he might not value a change of scenery at that much of a pay cut. Perhaps a team sees a fit in their rotation, though, and would send Milwaukee a second or deep bench player in hopes that he works out.
12. Utah’s 2026 top-55 protected second-round pick
Believe it or not, Milwaukee does have one future second they can trade. It’s just not a good one. The Spurs will receive the Jazz’s second-rounder in June if it falls between 31–55; Milwaukee will get it should it come after 56. Utah is sixth in the lottery standings right now, so there’s zero chance they’d move back enough to one of the league’s best five records. That means the Bucks, or whoever possesses this asset, won’t be getting this pick. It’s almost worthless, but you have to send something out in a trade, even if it’s for a marginal asset in return. This might be enough to get the Bucks a back-of-rotation guy.
13. Andre Jackson Jr.
The main reason Jackson is so high on this list is that other teams might still see untapped potential here, unlike the guys below, who have hit their ceilings as players. He’s also the lowest-paid Buck, about $75k cheaper than the league’s veteran minimum salary. For a luxury tax-conscious team, Ajax makes more sense than the average vet.
14. Taurean Prince
Prince seems all but certain not to play this year after neck surgery, and he might decide to opt in for $3.8m next year. His $3.3m this year functions the same as Harris’ salary: maybe just enough to get a deal over the line. But teams probably don’t want a 32-year-old coming off a major injury on their 2027–28 roster, and would sooner take Harris or Trent.
15. Cole Anthony
As putrid as Anthony has been most of the season, he’s still an NBA player (for now, at least) thanks to his track record. He could still get another minimum contract in free agency this summer, and since he’s also on one this year, any team could acquire him. He’s just not worth much of anything.
16. Jericho Sims
I’m not confident Sims is an NBA player, however. He hasn’t been good this year, hasn’t really shown any development as a player, and is 27. Plenty of great athletes wash out of the league if they don’t show any plus skills, which seems like the route he’s headed. With a $2.8m player option decision this summer, he probably knows he’d have to settle for a non-guaranteed contract to remain in the Association next season and will exercise that option. He’s really cheap, but teams probably won’t want to use a roster spot on him.
17. Amir Coffey
I guess the only reason Coffey’s salary became guaranteed in early January was to use him as a trade chip, because he still barely plays. Might be a throw-in if they need his contract to make the trade legal, but seems likely to be cut no matter where he is after the deadline.
18. Pete Nance
Two-way contracts can be traded (we see this once or twice annually); they just count for $0 in outgoing salary. Nance has had some good games recently, but he’s in his final year of two-way eligibility, and he probably won’t get a standard contract elsewhere. I’d be surprised if he has any trade value.
19. Thanasis Antetokounmpo
There’s only one reason a team would want Thanasis: if they were also getting his younger brother.
20. Alex Antetokoummpo
This is not the brother I was referring to, but otherwise same rationale as Thanasis, plus the two-way stuff from Nance’s paragraph.
Am I off with any of these? It was hard to decide exactly where that 2026 Utah second should go, and how to order all the minimum guys. But we’re splitting hairs; everyone knows Milwaukee’s most valuable assets. Where does Rollins fit in among the draft picks? How would you order the 2031 and 2032 firsts? Curious to hear your thoughts.
