NBA Expert Proposes Wild Theory of Bucks GM Deliberately Tanking Offseason Moves

Milwaukee Bucks general manager Jon Horst has come under the microscope of late for a flurry of surprising summer moves.

Seemingly motivated to convince nine-time All-NBA power forward Giannis Antetokounmpo, Horst opted to stretch-and-waive the $112.6 million contract of injured nine-time All-Star point guard Damian Lillard. The 6-foot-2 Weber State product tore his Achilles tendon during Milwaukee's first-round playoff series loss against the Indiana Pacers this spring.

With that level of injury, it seemed unlikely Lillard would be available for most — if any — of the 2025-26 season. So Horst ditched Lillard, and will pay out his contract across the next five seasons instead of the next two. With the extra annual cap space, Horst signed ex-Pacers center Myles Turner to a lucrative four-year, $108.9 million deal. Horst also brought in former Orlando Magic guards Cole Anthony and Gary Harris on minimum deals, and inked 3-and-D ex-L.A. Clippers wing Amir Coffey to a training camp contract.

These moves are intriguing, sure, but do they upgrade the Bucks' roster enough to make the team truly competitive in the Eastern Conference?

No.

In a fresh column,The Ringer's Michael Pena puts forth an absolute hot take on Horst's thinking with these roster decisions: he's sneakily trying to convince Antetokounmpo to demand a trade out of town.

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"At what stage of their denial will someone involved in this doomed partnership realize the second championship Giannis is desperately seeking can’t happen with this roster?" Pena asks. "Horst still has a few chips to move before the trade deadline—Milwaukee’s first-round pick in 2032 is one of the more valuable assets in the entire league—but it’s hard to envision any deals that can bring in the amount of win-now talent they need to seriously contend."

"Somewhat related to all of these issues, I’m struck by how low this team’s payroll is now as it ostensibly does whatever it can to compete at the highest level," Pena adds. "The Bucks rank 23rd in payroll, and when you look at their roster, it’s not hard to understand why. Antetokounmpo is set to earn over twice as much money as any of his teammates this season. The only other player who can say that is Utah’s Lauri Markkanen, a trade candidate."

Antetokounmpo is now in the first year of a three-season, $175.4 million contract extension he inked with Milwaukee ahead of 2023-24. The 6-foot-11 big man has a $62.8 million contract for 2027-28.

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The 30-year-old superstar, a two-time league MVP, is no doubt already frustrated that Milwaukee hasn't emerged out of the first round of the playoffs since 2022. He won his lone championship with the Bucks in 2021. How long will he stay loyal to the only team he's ever known, if he continues to waste away the rest of his prime propping up mediocre supporting casts?

"It’s almost like Horst purposely spent the offseason doing everything in his power to sabotage the Bucks in a sly effort to convince Giannis he should request a trade. Whether it comes to that or not, all eyes will be on Horst this season," Pena notes. "He’ll either need to extract maximum value for one of the league’s brightest stars to kick-start a massive rebuild, or continue to scrape the bottom of the barrel and mine what’s left of his own assets in an effort to turn a fatally flawed roster back into the respectable contender they no longer resemble."

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