Examining Giannis Antetokounmpo’s NBA Potential
After Giannis Antetokounmpo won his first NBA championship in 2021, he was quickly crowned as the best player in the league. In less than two years, the Milwaukee Bucks have fallen on hard times. They got bounced in the second round of the playoffs last year and then put together an embarrassing effort against the eight-seed Miami Heat this year, losing in five games.
There have been NBA trade rumors swirling around the Milwaukee Bucks after the team disappointed in the playoffs every year of Giannis Antetokounmpo’s career outside of the 2021 championship run, which led to the firing of head coach Mike Budenholzer.
We will soon see what moves the team will make to build a stronger supporting cast around their star player. The two-time MVP has consistently stated that he doesn’t want to leave Milwaukee but he also likes winning championships. That could require him to go to a team that fits his skill set, a team that wins championships.
Giannis isn’t going to take a lot of shots and is one of the worst free throw shooters in the NBA. He’s the only true superstar on the Bucks so it becomes an issue that he can’t do those things.
He’s an amazing player on both sides of the floor and will be in the Hall of Fame one day. However, if he wants to be in the greatest of all time conversation, he has to start winning championships. That could require him to seek new turf.
Which Teams Would Fit Giannis?
NBA rumors say that the most obvious fit for Giannis is the Golden State Warriors. Putting him on a team with Stephen Curry would be incredibly difficult to beat. The one thing that the Warriors haven’t had during their dynasty is a dominant big man. Giannis would be a defensive force and score a lot of points in the paint.
Curry could shoot the important free throws and hit big shots. The problem with Giannis’ game is that it’s hard for him to be impactful toward the end of a close game because of his poor free throw shooting. That’s when Curry could take over. A Warriors team with Giannis wins another four championships if they stay healthy.
Giannis to Golden State is in play if the Bucks fall short this season:
“You thought Durant and the Warriors were good? Giannis, Steph, Draymond and Klay. No thank you… That is a 5-year dynasty.” — @ColinCowherd pic.twitter.com/HtLN6nKdcj
— Herd w/Colin Cowherd (@TheHerd) February 26, 2020
The Los Angeles Lakers are always going to be a team to watch when a superstar big man is talked about in a trade. They already have Anthony Davis but the idea of pairing Giannis with him could be interesting. Stay up to date with this info if you are interested in bet on NBA games.
The Lakers would immediately have the best frontcourt in the NBA. LeBron James is still playing at a high level but is getting long in the tooth. Giving him Giannis allows him to take the pressure off of having to score and would allow him to be a distributor.
A dark horse team that is interesting is the Sacramento Kings. They had the greatest offense in NBA history this season but had a very bad defense. Adding Giannis gives them one of the greatest defensive players the league has ever seen and makes them much more dangerous in the paint. The Kings become a championship contender if they swap Domantas Sabonis in a trade for Giannis.
What Pieces Do Bucks Need to Surround Giannis With?
While there will always be speculation regarding where Giannis might end up, he hasn’t shown any signs that he wants to leave Milwaukee. If he’s going to stay put, the team may need to make some roster adjustments. Khris Middleton is a very good player but he’s getting older and is often injured. Milwaukee needs to find Giannis a younger and more consistent second star.
Bradley Beal comes to mind as one player who’d be a good fit with Giannis. He’s a great shooter and scorer. He is coming off a couple of injury-plagued seasons so the asking price for him in a trade could be lower.
The @NBA has caught wind of this team’s incredible accomplishment last week.
From @Giannis_An34 to @RealDealBeal23 , @MalcolmBrogdon7 , and others – hear their message for the Bison. pic.twitter.com/olBCVxGvUn
— Howard Men’s Basketball (@HUMensBB) March 7, 2023
The Bucks could also kick the tires on Kyrie Irving. He’s having a hard time finding the right fit but Giannis would help cover up his defensive issues while giving the team an elite scorer. There’s also talk of Trae Young getting traded by the Atlanta Hawks. He might be a player the Bucks want to throw in the oven.
