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Three NBA All-Stars the Milwaukee Bucks can trade for to pair with Giannis Antetokounmpo

Originally posted on NBA Analysis Network
By Jonah Kubicek | Last updated Jun 19, 2025 8:24 PM ET

If the Milwaukee Bucks decide not to trade Giannis Antetokounmpo, they will need to surround him with win-now talent, and these three players might be their best options.

Until Giannis Antetokounmpo formally demands a trade, the Milwaukee Bucks are expected to keep their franchise legend in town, trying to build around him.

Giannis is only 30 years old, very much still in his prime, and has finished in the top five of the MVP vote in each of the last seven seasons. Despite a down year and a devastating injury to Damian Lillard, there is hope that the Bucks will be able to re-tool on the fly.

With three first-round exits in a row haunting them, it’s clear that the Bucks simply can’t run things back; they need to make a massive trade to both appease and support Antetokounmpo. The 2025 offseason is expected to be wild, and there are three All-Stars the Bucks could target.

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Bucks and Suns swap damaged goods

The Phoenix Suns are expected to trade Kevin Durant this summer, and the Bucks simply do not have the assets to get involved in that trade. However, the Suns are also desperate to trade Bradley Beal, and the Bucks, with their title aspirations, might be good enough for him to waive his no-trade clause.

In order for the deal to be a straight-up swap, Brook Lopez and Bobby Portis will have to be free agents, pushing this trade back to June 30.

Full Mock Trade Details:

In this deal, the Suns get an elite point guard to pair with Devin Booker, although they will have to wait for his Achilles to heal, and there is no guarantee he will return to form.

Still, after missing the playoffs, it’s clear that Beal is not a winning player in Phoenix. Pairing him with one of the best defenders in the league might allow him to get close to the excellent scoring numbers he posted in Washington.

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Bucks take Celtics’ salary in mock trade

The Boston Celtics, after Jayson Tatum went down with an injury of his own in the playoffs, are expected to shed salary in an attempt to avoid the luxury tax.

With Tatum down, Boston is not positioned to compete for the Eastern Conference title, allowing the Bucks to take advantage of a weaker conference.

Full Mock Trade Details:

This trade saves Boston $5.5 million next season. Kuzma does not fit in Boston’s rotation, although they might also part with Jrue Holiday this summer, shaking things up even more.

For the Bucks, this is a clear upgrade at center. Kristaps Porzingis is not as great a defender as Brook Lopez, but he is a better scorer and shooter, and his timeline fits Giannis’ perfectly.

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Bucks capitalize on a Grizzlies’ rebuild

One trade has to be the most unrealistic, and this one certainly is. After trading Desmond Bane to the Orlando Magic, the Memphis Grizzlies might be on the cusp of a rebuild, and the Bucks could pair their superstar with an All-Star point guard.

Full Mock Trade Details:

After getting four picks and a swap for Bane, expect Memphis to search for just as good of a deal for Ja Morant, if they trade him.

The Bucks, who owe picks to the Portland Trail Blazers and New Orleans Pelicans, do not have the draft capital to land Morant in a similar deal, although by 2031, Giannis will be 36 years old, maybe not even in Milwaukee, although certainly past his prime.

While the Grizzlies don’t get much in the way of draft capital, they do get two promising young players, and the Bucks get an established star to pair with Giannis Antetokounmpo.

This article first appeared on NBA Analysis Network and was syndicated with permission.

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