The Bucks are expected to be at the center of the trade universe with Giannis Antetokounmpo possibly looking to move on from Milwaukee. While speculation about his future is rampant, the Bucks do—believe it or not—have the option to keep The Greek Freak if he wants to give it another go and try to win a championship. In order for Giannis to stay, though, the Bucks likely need to prove that they can compete for a title, so changes will have to be made from this year’s team.
To that end, CBS Sports
contributor Sam Quinn listed the Bucks as a potential destination for Mavericks point guard Kyrie Irving, who could also be on his way out of the Lone Star State this summer: “The widespread presumption is that Milwaukee will ultimately trade Giannis Antetokounmpo, but they could technically go the other way. They have three first-round picks to trade, including no. 10 overall this year. Maybe an aggressive push for Irving compels Antetokounmpo to extend,” Quinn wrote.
Pros to trading for Irving
The hardest part of winning a championship is getting a superstar who can lead you there. The Bucks already have that taken care of with Antetokounmpo on the roster, but the team needs more to get back into the postseason conversation. Adding Irving and pairing him with Giannis gives the Bucks a great chance to return to relevancy in the Eastern Conference.
If the Bucks could find a way to trade for Irving without giving up the no. 10 overall pick, that would be the ideal scenario. They could send future first-round picks—they control their own from 2031 to 2033—and matching salary, which would likely include Kyle Kuzma and Bobby Portis, in order to make it happen. While that deal sacrifices some of Milwaukee’s future draft capital, it allows them to add a rookie and a win-now point guard who can elevate everybody’s game on the court.
Cons to trading For Irving
Irving is coming off a torn ACL and did not play with the Mavericks this past season. He is well into his 30s and nearing the twilight of his career, having just turned 34. That’s a year older than Damian Lillard was when Milwaukee traded for him in 2023. While he is a talented player, it’s hard to imagine the Bucks going from a 32-50 squad to a surefire title contender just by acquiring him. Irving can only do so much by coming on board. On top of that, would they be willing to trade future picks that could help them when Antetokounmpo has either left or is in his late 30s just to get another short-term solution in Irving?
The cost-benefit analysis the Bucks have to do is tricky, but if they’re willing do what it takes to keep Giannis, this could accomplish that.
