Through seven games, the Milwaukee Bucks are 1-6 — sitting dead last in the Eastern Conference.
The scary thing for Milwaukee is the fact both Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard are fully healthy. The two are averaging nearly 60 points combined on a nightly basis. Yet, the rest of the roster is an utter mess.
Antetokounmpo turns 30 next month. The Bucks have accommodated him at virtually every turn, aiming to give him a chance at winning whenever he asks for help. This first started with Jrue Holiday and has since morphed into making the move for Lillard.
At the same time, this team is nowhere close to being a title contender. Brook Lopez is an aging center in his late 30s. Khris Middleton can’t stay healthy, and when he is on the floor, he’s a shell of what he once was. From there, the roster is littered with one-dimensional players (Bobby Portis, Pat Connaughton, Gary Trent Jr.) and a host of guys who are fringe NBA players. There’s simply not enough depth nor talent to smooth over the average deficiencies any NBA team would face.
Milwaukee also can’t guard a parking cone. The Bucks are allowing over 118 points per contest on the year. Outside of Antetokounmpo’s defensive prowess, there’s practically no one who can defend a guard or wing at even an adequate level.
For all of these reasons — and potentially more — one has to wonder if Antetokounmpo would force a trade away from the only professional basketball home he’s known. Miami and Brooklyn have been rumored as potential destinations. If Milwaukee wants Antetokounmpo out of the Eastern Conference, Houston could be an interesting option. The Rockets have plenty of picks and a host of good, young players.
The team lurking in the background for such a sweepstakes would be Oklahoma City. The Thunder are flush with picks, and the Bucks could theoretically talk themselves into a package involving Chet Holmgren.
Now, all of this is conjecture. Antetokounmpo has been very loyal to Milwaukee. He genuinely seems to love the city, and there’s no indication he wants out. At the same time, he’s highly competitive. The Greek Freak wants to continue building his legacy as an all-time great. If the Bucks can’t satisfy his request as a perennial title contender, we could see a gigantic superstar dangled on the trade market for the first time in quite a while.
