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Surprise East Team Could Emerge as Potential Trade Suitor For Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo

Originally posted on Athlon Sports
By Nathaniel Holloway | Last updated May 30, 2025 9:00 AM ET

The upcoming NBA offseason is looking as though it will be full of many moves including by some of the biggest superstars in the league.

Of course, Kevin Durant has been the headliner for months as a potential star on the move this summer but Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo has overtaken him as the main headline as he has seen himself enter trade rumors.

It was another disappointing season for the Bucks as they failed to make it out of the first round of the playoffs and with their future in question due to their lack of assets and Damian Lillard’s injury, Giannis may be on his way out of Milwaukee this summer.

There have been many teams linked to the two-time MVP including the San Antonio Spurs, Houston Rockets and Golden State Warriors but one team that has been flying under the radar as a potential trade suitor is the Detroit Pistons as Bleacher Report’s Dan Favale recently mentioned.

“Slotting him alongside Cade Cunningham creates the ideal one-two punch. Between those two, the Pistons have their defensive anchor, first and second offensive scoring options and No. 1 and No. 2 playmakers. Surround them with enough shooting and the right kind of center, and you're looking at a prospective juggernaut–not just in the Eastern Conference, but overall,” Favale wrote.

Of course, the Pistons had an incredible season that saw them go from being the worst team in the NBA to making the playoffs and adding another superstar next to Cunningham could make the Pistons title contenders next season.

Detroit also has a ton of young players such as Ausar Thompson, Jalen Duren and Jaden Ivey along with draft capital that could entice the Bucks to agree to a trade this summer.

Giannis would be a great fit on Detroit thanks to their defense-first mentality and if they could pair shooters alongside him and Cunningham, there is no doubt that Detroit could be back to being a contender next season after years of struggling.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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